Radio, radio

The part of Shetland that I live in, Hillswick in Northmavine, is a really beautiful place but it does have one problem. The electricity supply can be a bit dodgy as I found out at Christmas last year. The power went off at quarter to three in the afternoon on Christmas day and came back on twenty-six hours later. No lights, no computer, no radio, nothing. I've just ordered a radio that I can wind up and also runs on solar power. Hopefully, the winter coming will have a better power supply but at least, if there are any breaks, I can wind up the radio. The good thing is, you can use it at the beach or in the bath too. Good, eh!!!

Viking Energy wind farm

Jings, there is potentially a lot of money to be made by the creation of the Viking Energy wind farm. Ask yourself this; how often is Shetland short of wind to drive the turbines that will generate the power.

There is no fuel used to generate the electricity that we all live on here if we use wind power. We will not be polluting, using anything dirty or destroying anywhere as the electricity is generated.

There is a vast amount of money to be made here, from using the plainest, simplest generation of the electricity that we all use for various things. The area is possibly going to see many more methods to create business and therefore employment.

But will they stop the power cuts that we suffer all the time?

I doubt it, I very much doubt it!!!

The power cut that we suffered over Christmas

Here in Hillswick, in Northmavine at the north end of Mainland, Shetland, UK, the electricity went off at 14.45 on Christmas Day and came back on the next day, Boxing Day at 16.50. That is twenty-six hours and five minutes with no electricity.

I wonder how many Christmas dinners were destroyed here but more to the point, I wonder how many people complained about the power cut and therefore got the same cheque for £54.00, through the door today as I did.

I bet that I'm the only man that did it. I bet that I'm the only man that knows that if everyone complains the service will be improved and the power cuts will stop happening.

But I'll also bet that they haven't stopped talking about it yet. It's amazing how long you can spend talking about the results of doing bugger all.

A beautiful morning

It really is a beautiful morning today, sun up at about ten past nine and the wind down too. The wind is forecast to rise to approx 46mph at midnight tonight so it's well worth considering starting to prepare a cold New Years Day dinner today - while the power is still on.

It might not be on for long though. After all, there are no promises in life, are there!!!

Oh, and I've just realised, I'll have to get on to Ms Patel at the BBC. The Scottish North Harassment Division of T.V Licensing have sent no threatening letter today. Is that what is really paid for by the BBC, a half-done job of threatening people that don't watch T.V. After all, they are expected to do a full and complete job.

Shetland News : Electricity supply and powercuts - 11 - Shetlink

Shetland News : Electricity supply and powercuts - 11 - Shetlink

Imagine - the power's back on!!!

Quarter to three on Christmas Day the power went off and stayed off for twenty-six hours, coming back on at ten to five this afternoon. It probably went off because of the wind that was gusting between 90 - 100 mph. Wind is a problem to the electricity supply which is delivered above ground and has been, to this area, for approximately thirty-five years.

Talk about technology. We're about thirty-two miles from the power station, power supplied above ground, not under, power cuts averaging about once a month, that last between a few minutes to a couple of days. Around here we have electric lighting, heating and I also have an electric cooker and in reality it's worth about as much as a chocolate watch.
What a marvellous power station, sending top quality electricity nowhere near me to destroy the turkey that I threw out for christmas. I'm sure that I wasn't the only person to enjoy cold pie and beans for dinner yesterday, followed by a Boxing Day tin of coke today, perfectly chilled to room temperature because the fridge-freezer was off like everything else, that went with the sandwich, after the cornflakes to start, when today's lunch was enjoyed while looking out the window, watching the horizontal rain pour past.

I just hope the people that provide delivery of electricity enjoyed the same 

Christmas that I did.

Next year I will be buying a cooked turkey because considering the crap 

service that is provided around here, it's not worth taking the risk.

Why have I not been on the computer?

Sometime between Thursday night and Friday morning there was a power cut. I don't know how long it lasted for but by the time I woke up the power was back on so, what the heck, off I went about my business. I had a good day, spending the morning at college and in the afternoon I had an appointment at the hospital and then I went and did the weeks shopping.

Then I got the last bus home at ten past five,getting in at quarter past six.

And when I got there - no electricity - again.

It's my fault that I don't have a torch, or any means to get by when there are power cuts because they happen everywhere, to everybody.

But it doesn't happen quite so often to the rest of the population as it does here in Hillswick, Shetland.

And is a reason given?

Or perhaps an apology?

No, never. There is no sound of them improving the electricity supply either.

Wonder why?