Tens of thousands still without power after Storm Arwen, Cabinet Minister confirms

Snow covers fields and hills in the Arkengarthdale valley, North Yorkshire, amid freezing conditions in the aftermath of Storm Arwen (PA)

Kwasi Kwarteng told the House of Commons that 95 per cent of people whose electricity was knocked out by the storm over the weekend have now had it switched back on, but tens of thousands are still left in the dark.

However, Labour raised concerns about “enormous frustration” as an emergency phone line set up to respond to the crisis faced delays.

“I want to reassure people who are still without power, who are exhausted, who are worried and who are angry that we are all working incredibly hard to make sure that their normal conditions return,” Mr Kwarteng said.

Overnight, the Energy Networks Association said that power had been turned to another 12,000 homes, and that work is still being carried out at 4,500 damaged sites.

Mr Kwarteng described the weekend’s storm - which saw winds approaching 100mph - as “an event the like of which we haven’t seen for 60 years”, as he sought to reassure those still stuck.

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“For those who continue to be without power I know their primary question will be when will power be restored,” he told MPs.

“I have been assured that the overwhelming majority of those still without power today will be restored in the next day or two.”

Despite the reassurances, Shadow Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband raised the frustrations caused by delays on the 105 number.

"The calling of 105 which he mentioned, there are multiple reports of it causing enormous frustration for people and not getting that information. Can he say what his assessment is of whether people have been able to get the information, and if not, why not?” Mr Miliband asked.

Energy Minister Greg Hands was visiting Weardale, County Durham today, meeting Northern Powergrid engineers to thank them for their efforts.

He said about 3,000 homes in the St John’s Chapel area had lost power, which should be down to the “few hundreds” by Wednesday night.

The Minister was expected to visit Northern Powergrid’s Newcastle call-centre, his department said.