Mystery solved over constant Calderdale power cuts that have plagued residents

Residents in Hipperholme, Halifax, told a local election candidate the situation had been exacerbated by the COVId-19 pandemic, impacting on those working from home in addition to everyday usage.

Joseph Thompson, who is contesting the ward for Labour, said they had told him cuts had happened frequently over a long period of time and he raised the issue with Northern Powergrid on their behalf.

The company said it was conducting detailed investigations into the issues, drawing in everything from foot patrols to helicopter sweeps which used thermal imaging equipment.

It now believes it may have finally pinned down what has been causing power to cut out and frustrating residents.

A spokeswoman for Northern Powergrid confirmed that the company has identified and replaced a faulty auto-recloser circuit breaker device following the investigations and patrols of the network.

She said: “We’ve been focused on finding the cause of the recent interruptions and have completed detailed walking and helicopter patrols of the overhead power network.

“These patrols identified a problem with an auto-recloser on one of our poles, which was not working as it should.

“The auto-recloser is a protective safety mechanism which automatically switches the power off when something comes into contact with our cables, and switches the power back on once it has cleared,” she said.

The spokesperson said the device was replaced on February 22 and more inspection and refurbishment work was planned this spring.

“As a result of our detailed inspections of the power network we’re also carrying out some additional overhead refurbishment work and are currently communicating with local landowners to gain the correct permissions to allow us to make a start during April.

“The work will take several weeks to complete and will improve the resilience of the network and help mitigate the risk of potential faults in the future.

“I’d like to once again thank our customers for their on-going patience and understanding,” she said.