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Storm Arwen: Northern Powergrid sorry for power cut communication

PA Media Soldiers point to energy poles in remote part of the dalePA Media
The Army has been deployed in County Durham and Northumberland to help people hit but power cuts

An energy firm has apologised for poor communication with households struck by more than a week of power cuts after Storm Arwen.

As of 22:00 GMT on Friday, Northern Powergrid said it had restored power to 98% of homes affected across the North East, but 5,100 remained cut off.

The firm previously warned some could be without power until Wednesday, 12 days after the storm's 98mph winds tore down electricity lines.

In Cumbria, 350 homes remain cut off.

About 1,250 homes in Scotland are also without power, while a £700 cap on compensation has been lifted allowing all those affected to claim £70 for each 12-hour period they are left without power - after an initial £70 for the first 48 hours.

Energy regulator Ofgem has also warned it would take enforcement action against network companies which failed to restore power to customers quickly enough.

Northern Powergrid has been criticised by some home owners - especially in remote parts of County Durham and Northumberland - who have been unable to speak to the firm or get updates on when their power would be restored.

A spokeswoman for the firm said: "As well as creating enormous challenges for us in of the engineering work we have to do to respond, the scale of the disruption has made it very challenging for us to communicate effectively with our customers.

"We have heard that loud and clear - and we are sorry that we weren't able to do better in that respect."

She said engineers now had a "much clearer picture of the repairs needed" although "it's not perfect" and "we will still find some surprises".

The firm said it had about 700 jobs to complete and their "best estimate right now is that the last of that work will be completed on Wednesday".

PA Media Soldiers carry bagsPA Media
Soldiers have been delivering supply packages

Stephen Deakin from Dissington, near Newcastle, said he had been without power for eight days and counting after a tree knocked a an electricity pole into his garden.

He said he has called Northern Powergrid "every day to complain" as he feared the wires could kill someone if power was turned back on.

He said: "I'm not knocking people on the ground but communication on this has been woeful.

"I understand it's kind of an unprecedented situation but why did they not have a plan in place? Why were people not helped sooner":[]}