Santa’s not the only one working this Christmas

13/12/2011

  • Business as usual for National Grid’s gas engineers and call centre staff
  • Call for people to stay safe – smell gas? call the National Gas Emergency Service
  • National Grid gas engineers carried out 35,000 emergency jobs last Christmas – regional breakdown in Notes to Editors

It’s not just Santa who will be working on Christmas Eve.  Whilst many of us will be making last minute plans, wrapping presents and putting excited children to bed, National Grid will be working around the clock to keep the gas flowing to ensure the turkeys are cooked on Christmas Day and gas supplies are safe over the festive period.

Throughout the year, engineers are on hand night and day to tackle potentially dangerous gas escapes.  With 10 million turkeys heading for the oven this Christmas and Britain’s central heating keeping festive families warm, safety-conscious National Grid is urging people to be extra alert to potential gas escapes over the holidays.

We estimate that nationally over 150,000 calls will be made to the National Gas Emergency Service number, with 70% of these requiring a gas emergency engineer to attend.

Martin Neat, National Grid’s emergency call centre manager said: ”It’s National Grid’s job to connect people to the energy they use, and that means business as usual for us while the country enjoys the holidays.  Call centre staff will still be manning the phones 24 hours a day and our engineers will be ready to deal with any gas emergency over the Christmas and New Year period. 

“Last year, National Grid engineers carried out 35,000 emergency jobs after calls to the National Gas Emergency Service.  Our message to anyone who smells gas is: ‘Enjoy this Christmas and be safe - if you smell gas call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.’”

The call centre team will be responding to calls of gas escapes and despatching engineers. If you smell gas follow these simple safety steps:

  • Call the National Gas Emergency 0800 111 999
  • Do not smoke or light matches
  • Do not turn electrical switches on or off
  • Open doors and windows
  • Turn off the meter at the control valve unless the meter is in the cellar

ENDS


Contact for media information only:

Antony Quarrell – North London    
07810 853075      
antony.quarrell@uk.ngrid.com

Jane Taylor - West Midlands
07785 220647
jane.e.taylor@uk.ngrid.com

Sara Wilcox – East Midlands and East Anglia   
07899 983792      
sara.wilcox@uk.ngrid.com    

Jeanette Unsworth - North West
07785 290230
jeanette.unsworth@uk.ngrid.com

For more information, please:

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Notes to Editors:

Regional Statistics

Emergency jobs actually carried out by National Grid’s National Gas Emergency Service engineers over the equivalent period 12 months ago (20/12/2010 to 03/01/2011)

London Number of Jobs
EAST – Fulham, Chelsea 948
EAST LONDON – Hackney, Bromley 967
ESSEX SOUTH – Southend, Rayleigh, Brentwood 1,090
NORTH LONDON – Barnet, South Mimms, Enfield 1,091
SOUTH – Central London, Wembley, Hornsey 907
WEST – Slough, Bracknell 898
TOTAL: 5,901

 

West Midlands Numbers of Jobs
BIRMINGHAM SOUTH/WEST/NORTH      467
BIRMINGHAM EAST 463
COVENTRY 666
DUDLEY 679
HEREFORD/WORCESTER             440
LEAMINGTON 323
REDDITCH 184
SOLIHULL 515
STOKE NORTH 447
STOKE SOUTH 275
TELFORD 215
THE MARCHES - SHREWSBURY 113
WALSALL 536
WOLVERHAMPTON 555
TOTAL: 5,878

 

East Anglia Number of Jobs   
BEDFORDSHIRE 676
CAMBRIDGE/HUNTINGDON         293
KINGS LYNN/PETERBOROUGH 287
NORFOLK 498

NORTH ESSEX

 248
NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE 275
SOUTH ESSEX 205
SOUTH HERTFORDSHIRE          690
SUFFOLK 357
TOTAL: 3,529

 

East Midlands Number of Jobs
AMBERGATE 413
CHATSWORTH 479
DERWENT 382
EAST COAST 214
GRIMSBY 307
KETTERING 339
LEICESTER 801
LINCOLN 317
NORTHAMPTON 366
NORTH LINCS 218
NORTH SHEFFIELD     690
RADCLIFFE 488
RUFFORD – MANSFIELD 516
SOUTH YORKS           1,096
TOTAL: 6,626

 

North West Number of Jobs 
BLACKPOOL 860
BOLTON / BURY 687
BURNLEY  1,164
CHESHIRE PLAINS 639
CHESTER/ELLESMERE PORT/RUNCORN                505
LIVERPOOL CITY 380
LIVERPOOL NORTH 643
MANCHESTER NORTH 787
MANCHESTER SOUTH 1.166
OLDHAM / ROCHDALE 826
PRESTON 1,283
SOUTH LIVERPOOL 527
ST HELENS/ WARRINGTON 823
STOCKPORT 1,020
THE LAKES – BARROW       152
THE VALLEYS – MORECOMBE 291
WIGAN / LEIGH 849
WIRRAL 603
TOTAL: 13,205

GRAND TOTAL: 35,139

NB: The statistics above cover the areas of the UK where National Grid owns and operates the gas transportation network, delivering gas to around 11 million homes, offices and factories. 

2011-12 Christmas and New Year period: forecast calls to the National Gas Emergency Service freephone number and forecast number of these calls which are likely to require emergency call-outs

Date All Calls No of calls likely to result in engineer call-out
20/12/2011 14,334 9,835
21/12/2011 12,930 8,482
22/12/2011 11,038 7,290
23/12/2011 10,000 7,285
24/12/2011 5,795 5,095
25/12/2011 5,000 4,649
26/12/2011 8,310 5,699
27/12/2011 14,000 5,702
28/12/2011 13,000 7,922
29/12/2011 12,500 7,936
30/12/2011 12,500 8,005
31/12/2011 8,000 5,624
01/01/2012        6,500            6,072
02/01/2012 8,310 5,696
03/01/2012 14,000 9,174
TOTAL 156,217 104,466

NB: These statistics cover the whole of the UK

 

National Grid
National Grid is an electricity and gas company that connects consumers to energy sources through its networks.  The company is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing our society - to create new, sustainable energy solutions for the future and developing an energy system that underpins economic prosperity in the 21st century.  National Grid holds a vital position at the centre of the energy system and we ‘join everything up’. 

In Britain, we run the gas and electricity systems that our society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country.  In the North Eastern US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles.

National Grid in the UK:

  • We own the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales, operating it across Great Britain
  • We own and operates the high pressure gas transmission system in Britain
  • Our gas distribution business delivers gas to 11 million homes and businesses
  • We also own a number of related businesses including LNG importation, land remediation and metering
  • National Grid manages the National Gas Emergency Service free phone line on behalf of the industry - 0800 111 999 (All calls are recorded and may be monitored).