105
Free national fault line
Free, 24/7
Electricity North West
Your DNO
serves Cumbria
14+
towns covered
incl. Carlisle, Barrow-in-Furness, Kendal
up to £150+
Ofgem compensation
for cuts over 24h
Live outage map for Cumbria
The map shows incidents reported by users in real time, centred on Cumbria. Zoom in on your street to check whether a cut is your home only or a wider network fault — when neighbours are also dark, it is a Electricity North West job.
Lake District mountains, Eden Valley farmland, the Solway coast and the Furness peninsula — terrain that makes helicopter repair a routine ENW capability. Storm Arwen in November 2021 left 200,000 Cumbrians off supply, some for over a week — a defining event for ENW's severe-weather response. Snow-laden gales over Shap Fell shut overhead lines several times every winter.
Live Power Outages in the UK
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Report a power cut in Cumbria
Seeing a cut the map hasn't caught yet? Add it in seconds. Your report is anonymous and appears on the live map above so neighbours in Cumbria know what's going on.
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Power cuts by town in Cumbria
Pick your town for local outage reports, the live map and your network operator's fault line.
Why the power goes out in Cumbria
Cumbria is the largest English county by area outside Yorkshire and has the most exposed rural network in Electricity North West's licence: 200 km of overhead lines snake over the Lake District fells from Carlisle south to Barrow-in-Furness. Lake District mountains, Eden Valley farmland, the Solway coast and the Furness peninsula — terrain that makes helicopter repair a routine ENW capability.
Weather and terrain. Storm Arwen in November 2021 left 200,000 Cumbrians off supply, some for over a week — a defining event for ENW's severe-weather response. Snow-laden gales over Shap Fell shut overhead lines several times every winter.
How the network is run. ENW depots at Penrith, Workington and Kendal dispatch engineers. Many remote villages (Borrowdale, Eskdale, Wasdale) are at the end of single overhead feeders — when these are down, restoration takes 12 to 48 hours.
A local quirk worth knowing. Cumbria sees more severe-weather Category 1 declarations than any other English county. Keep meter photos with timestamps if you live in the western fells: claims of £600+ are routine in storm winters.
What to do when the power goes out at home in Cumbria
Check whether neighbours are affected
Look at the street lights and the houses opposite. If they're on, your fault is inside your home — check the consumer unit. If they're out too, it is a Electricity North West network fault: call 105.
Dial 105
Have your full postcode ready. Ask the operator for an estimated time of restoration (ETR) and a fault reference number — both make any later compensation claim faster.
Unplug sensitive electronics
Unplug TVs, routers, computers and consoles to protect them from a surge when supply returns. Leave one light switched on so you'll know visually when the power is back.
Log start and end times
A cut over 24 hours in normal weather entitles you to £75 from Electricity North West under Ofgem's Guaranteed Standards. Severe weather has higher thresholds and a £2,000 cap. Keep a written log with photos — most payments arrive automatically within 10 working days.
The Selectra expert answers your questions on power cuts in Cumbria
Always to your Distribution Network Operator, not your supplier. In Cumbria that is Electricity North West. Dial 105 (Free national fault line) — free, 24/7.
Storm Arwen in November 2021 left 200,000 Cumbrians off supply, some for over a week — a defining event for ENW's severe-weather response. Snow-laden gales over Shap Fell shut overhead lines several times every winter. ENW depots at Penrith, Workington and Kendal dispatch engineers. Many remote villages (Borrowdale, Eskdale, Wasdale) are at the end of single overhead feeders — when these are down, restoration takes 12 to 48 hours.
Yes. Under Ofgem's Guaranteed Standards of Performance, domestic customers in Cumbria receive £75 after 24 hours off in normal weather, plus £40 every additional 12 hours up to £300. Severe-weather events have higher thresholds and a £2,000 cap. Payment is normally automatic from Electricity North West within 10 working days — claim within 30 days if it doesn't arrive.
Electricity North West announces planned cuts by letter (and increasingly text or email) 2 to 8 days in advance. Most run 8am to 6pm and last 2 to 8 hours. Planned cuts do not qualify for Ofgem compensation unless your DNO failed to give adequate notice (a £40 payment applies then).
Power cuts in nearby areas
Other counties close to Cumbria — useful if your storm or fault crosses council boundaries.
Lancashire
Electricity North West
Northumberland
Northern Powergrid
County Durham
Northern Powergrid
Merseyside
SP Energy Networks
Greater Manchester
Electricity North West
Tyne and Wear
Northern Powergrid
Cheshire
SP Energy Networks
North Yorkshire
Northern Powergrid
Other counties served by Electricity North West
Same operator, same emergency number, similar restoration patterns and compensation framework.