I mean, this is a sick joke, right? No, apparently it isn't.
Energy firms urge Britons to turn off their electricity tonight as snow blankets the UK.
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/uk-weather-snow-energy-firms-national-grid-turn-off-electricity/
@cassandra17lina It's just adding insult to injury. They're already going to be cutting all power 3 x a week from January onwards, no choice, you will just have no power.
@Florence
All of the power companies’ execs must have attended the same Ted Talk. My power company here in the U.S. is trying to get us to do the same thing. Ours is still by choice though.
@CrystallineEntity I wish ours was. I have a medical alarm, it has a battery back up but only lasts 7 hours, and won't last if repeatedly needed. But I'm not exempt apparently.
@Florence
Ugh! So sorry to hear this. Wish something could be done.
@CrystallineEntity Vote the Tories out would be a good answer!
@CrystallineEntity Sorry, my point being, no one is exempt. Full stop. If you have a heart machine for example, the hospital has to provide a generator. Power company won't.
@Florence @CrystallineEntity This is insane. And I'm an American, I know crazy when I see it.
@VenomousHeroine @CrystallineEntity That is what everyone is saying. But it seems to carry on regardless. My own feeling is that the Gvmt will collapse if they really do go ahead with this as they plan to,.
@VenomousHeroine @CrystallineEntity Some companies in England (not Wales as far as I know) are paying folk to voluntarily turn the power off for a couple of hours during peak time. I have no idea how that's going as I don't live in England, but people are so worried about the bills, it may be something some are prepared to do.
I think they've only just started trialling it.
@VenomousHeroine @CrystallineEntity It's because of the war in Ukraine. Russia refusing to release more energy to Europe etc. Europe is far more heavily dependent on Russian oil than the USA. Germany, at one point, was 90% dependent on Russian oil, I think they may have managed to reduce it a bit, but Russia is essentially holding Europe to ransom.
@Florence @CrystallineEntity I'm so sorry.
@Florence That's inhumane.
@CinnamonGirlE They are. It's absurd. The whole thing. But they're ploughing on. Now we all have to go to the National Grid page to type in an alphabet letter (which we can apparently find on our bills) to be told when they will be cutting off our electricity (3 x a week from January, no exemptions).
@Florence
How long will it be off during those periods? That's horrible.
@CinnamonGirlE It'll start at 3 hours, increasing to 24 hours depending on how it goes.
@Florence
And medical needs? On your own?
@CinnamonGirlE No exemptions. I rely on a medical alarm, live alone and am in palliative care. Still no exemption.
@Florence I am so sorry! That's not okay. May I ask where you live?
@Florence I am sorry to say I am ignorant of what is going on there? I live in the US and we are burning down in other ways here.
That really is horrible though.
@CinnamonGirlE It's pure mismanagement by the Tories. It's miserable. But if you're not one of the hoi polloi - who never seem to be affected - you just have to suck it up. So we're told. I'm a American-British person, so I feel doomed on both sides of the Atlantic these days!
@Florence That stinks. I am sorry to hear it. Some things are the same everywhere I suppose.
@CinnamonGirlE These days it certainly seems so. Sadly.
@Florence Sadly is exactly right.
@CinnamonGirlE This is why places such as CoSo are so important. So we can kind of share experiences and feel less alone with all the carnage around us. xx
@Florence Yes, I agree. I love this little place. Such a respite. Vastly different from any SM I have ever been on.
@CinnamonGirlE Absolutely how I feel too. ❤️
@Florence
You take care of yourself!
@CinnamonGirlE You too. xx
@Florence All of Britain: "Sure, Jan." 🙄
@Florence So they are actually trying to kill people. Great.
@Nimthiriel Many of us who are sick say they really don't care, they'd save money if we died. It started as a joke, now I'm not so sure...
@Florence It's utter bullshit and completely horrifying. Fuck Tories, man.
@Nimthiriel I totally agree. Mismanagement and cronyism. All out of control.
@Florence It's for two hours, the peak usage hours. I live in the desert, an extreme climate for part of the year. When the electric goes out in the summer, even 15 minutes is difficult when it's 115°. It's hard on the elderly and the young.
@ShelleyA No, it's 3 hours
They will vary each time. Some 4-7 others at other times. This is in the UK. National Grid has all the info.
@ShelleyA Or you can go to your power company's website and put your geolocator in. It's an alphabetical letter. It starts with 3 hrs per day, 3 x a week, up to and including 24 hours severral times a week dependning on energy supply at that time. Begins in January.
@Florence That’s a decision made in a warm, bright office by cold-hearted, stupid people.