Thousands of householders suffered a third night without electricity after Wales' weekend gales - and customers are continuing to complain about the speed of the switch-on.

Engineers again worked through the night to reconnect properties to the power supply.

Most faults in south Wales have now been fixed by Western Power Distribution after drafting in engineers from across the UK.

Compensation questions

Consumers without power for 18 hours can claim �50 �25 can be claimed for every subsequent 12 hours without power Companies exempt if severe weather prevented them restoring power Source: Energywatch

Manweb Scottish Power said on Wednesday morning 2,000 properties in northern parts of Wales were still awaiting reconnection.

The UK Government announced on Tuesday it would immediately investigate the performance of suppliers' call centres, which have faced heavy criticism from consumers.

Energy Minister Brian Wilson said lessons must be learned from their response.

Winds of up to 102mph on Sunday resulted in the death of one driver and the felling of hundreds of trees across Wales, bringing down power lines and causing destruction.

About 65,000 homes were still without electricity on Tuesday evening, with East Anglia and the West and East Midlands the worst hit.

Welsh question

In Wales, many customers have complained that Manweb Scottish Power and Western Power Distribution customer services have been slow.

Some householders without any power for 54 hours e-mailed BBC News Online to say call centres had been unresponsive and carried outdated information, while others claimed support staff could not cope with Welsh place names.

Storms deluged many roads with rain

The Welsh Consumer Council said the power providers should perform far better.

"There does seem to be a depressing sense of not being prepared for what is obvious," council director Nick Pearson told BBC Radio Wales.

"There has been a lot of concern about the information [call centres] are putting out and their ability to deal with crises.

"The more centralised service systems are, the most concerned we must be about flexibility being lost.

"We should be looking at a much more smooth-functioning approach to something that happens year or year."

'Working hard'

UK electricity watchdog Energy Watch called for much better emergency planning in future.

Scottish Power's Wales emergency manager Alun Laird said: "We have worked hard and got a lot of people back on supply.

"It is very difficult dealing with all those calls. We are coping with the problem and dealing with the issues."

Although winds eased on Monday and Tuesday, rail operators are still advising travellers to telephone the National Rail Helpline on 08457 484950 before travelling, but ferry operators did not report any problems travelling between Wales and Ireland.

E-mail BBC News Online to share your experiences and frustrations after Wales' weekend gales.

The weather station is still there! In fact, we recorded gusts of 105mph on Snowdon Summit and 112mph at the Clogwyn Station over the weekend.
David Evans, North Wales

I live in Corris Uchaf and have been without power for 72 hours. This area is very vulnerable to power cuts as there were three last week before the storms. It would appear that everyday maintenance is not being carried out which consequently results in longer term power failures. The people at the call centres are still unable to give any estimate of restoration of service. I would like to ask Manweb Scottish Power how they expect people to cope? At least I can get a hot drink in work - what about elderly people who cannot get about?
Linda Cluer, Mid Wales

My biggest frustration was the inability to get up-to- date information. With interactive telephone answering systems recorded information by (groups of) postcode could be given. This would only be of use if the estimates were accurate. Better to know that reconnection will be 30 hours, than the blanket "We hope to restore supplies by 6pm." That said, why are the electricity supplies so vunerable to wind damage?
Peter, N. Wales

I have every sympathy with UK travellers after the storms. I have just been informed that because of these same storms British Airways have to cancel flights from Phoenix for the next few days as there are "no crews available". It will take me the best part of 3 days to get home...I shall be glad to get back to the UK weather or not!!
KarolGriffiths, USA

It is a sad fact that we are so dependent upon technology that a little wind and rain can cripple us

Paul, Wales

I had a power cut in Ystradgynlais, Powys during the storms. It only took me three minutes to get through to Western Power Distribution, and they had an engineer out to us in just two hours, we were restored in just four hours, I thought they were very efficient, and their customer service advisors were very helpful.
Jean, Powys , Wales

As usual in these conditions we were without power for most of the day, while four miles away the nearest town was ok. Luckily, we still have a coal fired heater and use bottled gas for cooking so we can survive for a few months!
Tony Smith, South Wales

It is a sad fact that we are so dependent upon technology that a little wind and rain can cripple us. Thirty five years ago, we sent a man to the moon. Currently we would be lucky to send him from Cardiff to London by train, and have him arrive there within one hour of the advertised time. As for electricity shortages - this is what comes of streamlining operations in the grand search for more profits. The entire situation needs rectifying very quickly, before something more severe comes along, and we all pay.
Paul, Wales

Fifty four hours without electricity, and no sign of it being restored. Manweb Scottish Power could invest the money they pay the staff who give you absolutely no information, to improve the infrastructure. What a complete waste of a phone call!
Paul Jones, North Wales

Although I have been lucky not to have suffered any damage or power cut since the gales at the weekend, but here in Aberystwyth my Vodafone signal seems to have disappeared for the last three days. This has seriously inconvenienced me. And no sign of it coming back!
Michael, Cymru

Yet again Wales descends into the Dark Ages despite years of promise from Manweb and now Scottish Power that "improvements" will be made

Brian Charles, Wales

Luckily, although power wasn't restored in my family home in mid Wales for some hours, we were able to turn to hydro-power. We have a water turbine at the end of our field and were able to turn it on to give electricity in the house!. My mum and dad lived happily off that over the weekend! I apologise to others that weren't so lucky!
Catrin, Caernarfon, North Wales

Just before the very good "Snowdon Weather Station" web site went off line I was seeing gust speeds of 103 mph and an average of 74 mph on the mountain. Has the weather station been blown away??
Charles, England

Yet again Wales descends into the Dark Ages despite years of promise from Manweb and now Scottish Power that "improvements" will be made to the infrastructure. At least its Monday and I can get into work - another part of the empire - unaffected by the storms. Why in rural north west Wales do we seem to have power cut after power cut and the rest of the country does not suffer the same misery. It would help if the call centre gave up-to-date information instead of hours old rubbish. The company seem repeatedly to make excuses and blame the weather, whereas other stormy countries have emergency plans to put into place and seem to be able to cope. Mind you there is a new excuse - blaming the clocks going back is a new one - who thought that up?
Brian Charlton, Wales

After 36 hours without electricity, I would like the opportunity to actually speak to someone at Manweb about it, instead of only getting a prerecorded message. Will the contents of my freezer be salvageable, will the electricity be reconnected by tonight, or will it be another night with candles? Some indication of timescales would be appreciated. At least I can come to work today to get some heat and send this
Gillian Anderson, North Wales

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