An electricity company responsible for a series of power cuts that have left businesses in North Finchley suffering major losses has promised to invest in the area.

Shops and businesses in Ballards Lane have suffered 16 lengthy outages in just eight months and say the problem is losing them tens of thousands of pounds, with minimal compensation offered.

Finchley and Golders Green MP Mike Freer promised “frank talks” with UK Power Networks (UKPN), which is responsible for the supply, earlier this month.

And the Conservative politician has now met with senior figures at the firm, which blamed underground flooding and cable burnouts for the issues and pledged to invest £70,000 upgrading local power cables and substations.

But UKPN said it could not be held responsible for the lack of compensation offered - businesses were handed less than £100 despite losing a whole day’s trade – because the figure is set by industry regulator Ofgem.

Mr Freer has now said he will be lobbying Ofgem to increase the levels of compensation offered to businesses affected by power cuts in this way.

He said: “The meeting with UKPN was fruitful in that they explained the issues surrounding the series of power cuts.

“A local under-pavement junction box was found to be waterlogged and had to be taken out of service.

“They told me there has also been increased usage from local shops and thus local substations encountered cable burnouts.

“However, the level of compensation and consequential losses is set by Ofgem, not by UKPN. I will now be lobbying Ofgem to review the levels of compensation.”