105
Free national fault line
Free, 24/7
Electricity North West
Your DNO
serves Lancashire
24+
towns covered
incl. Preston, Blackpool, Blackburn
up to £150+
Ofgem compensation
for cuts over 24h
Live outage map for Lancashire
The map shows incidents reported by users in real time, centred on Lancashire. 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.
Pennine moorland in the east, the Fylde coast at Blackpool and Fleetwood, and the broad Ribble valley in the middle. Irish Sea storms hit the Fylde coast first; snow on the Forest of Bowland and Pendle Hill brings overhead lines down in winter.
Live Power Outages in the UK
Unable to load outage data. Please try again later.
Report a power cut in Lancashire
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 Lancashire know what's going on.
Thank you. Your report has been submitted and will help others in Lancashire.
Reports are anonymous. We use your address to place the marker on the map and never display your personal details.
Power cuts by town in Lancashire
Pick your town for local outage reports, the live map and your network operator's fault line.
Why the power goes out in Lancashire
Lancashire sits in the heart of Electricity North West's licence, with the Preston-Blackburn-Burnley industrial belt in the south and the Lancaster-Morecambe Bay coastal strip in the north. Pennine moorland in the east, the Fylde coast at Blackpool and Fleetwood, and the broad Ribble valley in the middle.
Weather and terrain. Irish Sea storms hit the Fylde coast first; snow on the Forest of Bowland and Pendle Hill brings overhead lines down in winter.
How the network is run. ENW depots at Preston, Burnley and Lancaster dispatch engineers. The Blackpool seafront network has been progressively reinforced since the 2015 Storm Desmond restoration delays.
A local quirk worth knowing. Heysham nuclear power station's twin reactors connect to the National Grid via Heysham 1 and Heysham 2 substations — a fault here would not cut local supply but would shift national-grid balancing in real time.
What to do when the power goes out at home in Lancashire
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 Lancashire
Always to your Distribution Network Operator, not your supplier. In Lancashire that is Electricity North West. Dial 105 (Free national fault line) — free, 24/7.
Irish Sea storms hit the Fylde coast first; snow on the Forest of Bowland and Pendle Hill brings overhead lines down in winter. ENW depots at Preston, Burnley and Lancaster dispatch engineers. The Blackpool seafront network has been progressively reinforced since the 2015 Storm Desmond restoration delays.
Yes. Under Ofgem's Guaranteed Standards of Performance, domestic customers in Lancashire 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 Lancashire — useful if your storm or fault crosses council boundaries.
Merseyside
SP Energy Networks
Greater Manchester
Electricity North West
Cheshire
SP Energy Networks
Cumbria
Electricity North West
West Yorkshire
Northern Powergrid
Shropshire
National Grid Electricity Distribution
Staffordshire
National Grid Electricity Distribution
North Yorkshire
Northern Powergrid
Other counties served by Electricity North West
Same operator, same emergency number, similar restoration patterns and compensation framework.