Power cuts

If you use medical equipment such as home dialysis or a nebuliser you should contact Scottish Power to be added to their priority service register. You should also make sure that you have battery back-up and an emergency plan for any long power cuts.

Modern phones and their base units run on electricity and won't work during a power cut. Make sure you have an old-fashioned analogue phone that plugs straight into the phone socket in the wall.

Switch off any electrical equipment that heats up, such as fires and cookers as you may forget they are on when the power comes back on. You should leave a light switched on so that you know when the electricity is back to normal.

Avoid opening your fridge and freezer to preserve the food in them.

A battery powered radio will let you keep up with the news while the electricity is off and make sure you have a torch and spare batteries to hand.

Always have a half tank of petrol as petrol pumps won't work during a power cut.

For more information see the SP Networks priority services webpage.