105

Free national fault line

Free, 24/7

National Grid Electricity Distribution

Your DNO

serves Somerset

16+

towns covered

incl. Taunton, Bath, Yeovil

up to £150+

Ofgem compensation

for cuts over 24h

Live outage map for Somerset

The map shows incidents reported by users in real time, centred on Somerset. 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 National Grid Electricity Distribution job.

Mendip Hills, Quantock Hills, Exmoor's eastern fringe and the famously flat Somerset Levels. Levels flooding (2013-14 winter is the benchmark) submerges substations at Burrowbridge and Moorland; Quantock storms hit overhead lines at Crowcombe.

Live Power Outages in the UK

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Source: user reports · Selectra

Report a power cut in Somerset

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 Somerset know what's going on.

Thank you. Your report has been submitted and will help others in Somerset.

Reports are anonymous. We use your address to place the marker on the map and never display your personal details.

Why the power goes out in Somerset

Somerset stretches from the Bristol Channel at Weston-super-Mare to the Dorset border, taking in the Mendip Hills, the Somerset Levels and the Quantocks. NGED's South West licence covers the county. Mendip Hills, Quantock Hills, Exmoor's eastern fringe and the famously flat Somerset Levels.

Weather and terrain. Levels flooding (2013-14 winter is the benchmark) submerges substations at Burrowbridge and Moorland; Quantock storms hit overhead lines at Crowcombe.

How the network is run. NGED depots at Taunton, Bridgwater and Wells dispatch engineers. Hinkley Point C construction near Bridgwater has driven major grid reinforcement since 2017.

A local quirk worth knowing. The Somerset Levels' raised substation plinths (most rebuilt after 2014) sit above the 1-in-100-year flood line — outages here now usually result from upstream feeder failure, not local flooding.

Somerset is served by National Grid Electricity Distribution. All network faults — whoever supplies your electricity (Octopus, British Gas, EDF, OVO, E.ON Next…) — are reported on 105. Your supplier handles the bill but cannot dispatch an engineer.

What to do when the power goes out at home in Somerset

1

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 National Grid Electricity Distribution network fault: call 105.

2

Dial 105 or 0800 6783 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.

3

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.

4

Log start and end times

A cut over 24 hours in normal weather entitles you to £75 from National Grid Electricity Distribution 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 Somerset

Always to your Distribution Network Operator, not your supplier. In Somerset that is National Grid Electricity Distribution. Dial 105 (Free national fault line) — free, 24/7 — or call National Grid Electricity Distribution directly on 0800 6783 105.

Levels flooding (2013-14 winter is the benchmark) submerges substations at Burrowbridge and Moorland; Quantock storms hit overhead lines at Crowcombe. NGED depots at Taunton, Bridgwater and Wells dispatch engineers. Hinkley Point C construction near Bridgwater has driven major grid reinforcement since 2017.

Yes. Under Ofgem's Guaranteed Standards of Performance, domestic customers in Somerset 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 National Grid Electricity Distribution within 10 working days — claim within 30 days if it doesn't arrive.

National Grid Electricity Distribution 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).