Power crisis: Additional compensation for customers without gas on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (From Times Series)

Power crisis: Additional compensation for customers without gas on Christmas Day and Boxing Day

5:22pm Saturday 26th December 2009 in

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RESTORING gas to homes in East Barnet continued today with engineers from National Grid and Veolia Water trying to identify the cause of large volumes of water still in the gas network.

Engineers drafted in from across the country over the Christmas period have attempted to solve the problem, which has hampered efforts to reconnect gas customers.

Harry Buchanan, National Grid incident controller, said: “We have identified some issues on our networks which have now been resolved and as a result we believe we will now be able to make significant headway in reconnecting customers.

“I would like to apologise to residents for the discomfort caused as a result of the loss of their gas supplies during the last week.

"We would want to assure them that our engineers will work throughout the festive season and late into the night to remove the remaining water from the system and restore supplies. We won’t go home until everyone has been reconnected.”

National Grid has written to residents giving information about compensation for loss of gas supplies which will be provided under the company’s Standards of Service.

There will also be additional payments for those residents without gas on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

For more information call 0845 605 6677 or to speak to staff on the ground 07810 470890 or 07768 953923. Alternatively visit the gas-cut control centre in St Mary's School in Little Grove.

People are being advised that it is not safe to try to turn their own gas supply back on. Are you spending Christmas in East Barnet without gas? How are you coping?

Contact duty reporter Suruchi Sharma on ssharma@london.newsquest.co.uk or leave a comment in the box below.