Keeping Rural Communities Safe When the Lights Go Out
Climate change is already changing our weather patterns. Across the UK, storms, heavy rainfall, high winds, flooding, heatwaves and cold snaps are becoming harder to predict and more disruptive. For rural communities, the consequences can be especially severe: damage to infrastructure, difficulties travelling, isolation for older or vulnerable residents, and interruptions to the services people depend on every day.
Extreme weather and the electricity network
Electricity networks are designed to be reliable, but they are also exposed to the elements. Overhead lines can be affected by falling trees, storm debris, ice, lightning and flooding. Substations, access routes and communications systems can also be placed under strain during severe weather events. As homes, businesses and public services become more dependent on electricity, the impact of an extended power cut reaches far beyond lighting and heating.
The Northern Powergrid Foundation has recognised that climate change is creating new challenges for electricity distribution, particularly in rural areas that can be more susceptible to disruption during severe weather.
Why rural communities need additional resilience
Rural communities across North and East Yorkshire can be particularly vulnerable when extreme weather affects the grid. Villages and small settlements may be served by a limited number of transmission or distribution routes, meaning that a single damaged line or inaccessible fault can affect a wide area. Distance, topography and road conditions can make repairs more difficult, while residents may have fewer local alternatives for warmth, information, medical equipment charging or basic support.
For vulnerable people, including older residents, those with health conditions, families with young children and people who rely on electrically powered medical or communications equipment, an extended power failure can quickly become more than an inconvenience. It can become a welfare issue. This is why local, trusted, accessible community spaces are so important.
Community Resilience Hubs
A Community Resilience Hub is a community building that can remain open and useful during an emergency. With measures such as solar panels, battery storage, backup generation, efficient heating, charging points, lighting and communications support, a hub can provide a safe and warm place for people to gather when power cuts, storms or flooding affect normal services.
Northern Powergrid Foundation’s Energy Resilience Grants Programme supports this approach by offering grants of up to £20,000 to eligible community organisations. The programme can fund projects such as solar panels with battery storage, backup generators and improvements that help community spaces stay open during long-duration power cuts or severe weather. Its emphasis is not only on infrastructure, but on ensuring that communities have a practical plan to support local people when disruption occurs.
Eggborough
The village of Eggborough lies in North Yorkshire, but close to the borders with South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and the East Riding. It has some 1,200 dwellings. It is situated about 7 miles east of Pontefract and 7 miles south-west of Selby. It is surrounded by smaller hamlets such as Beal, Kellington and Hensall. Each of these communities have suffered from power failures in the past and are, therefore, vulnerable to extreme weather events.
Eggborough Methodist Church
In 1959, construction began on a power station and in 1966, men and their families came from all over the country to work in Eggborough. Subsequently, 60 years later, there are quite a number of retired residents including many widows. The church has a vision to work with elderly residents to prevent isolation. The church has established a number of regular events.
“The best thing I have done is to go along to the chapel, given me a new lease of life. Made so many new friends.” MGG
The latest film releases are shown 8 or 9 times a year. It has become so popular that both morning and matinee screenings have been arranged. Since 2018, 53 films with a total attendance of 2904 have been shown.
The Badapple Theatre brings a play once or twice a year. There have been 9 plays with a total attendance of 499 people. The plays always sell out.
A weekly Welcome Space has been in operation since January 2023. This is a free event where people play dominoes or scrabble, knit, chat or we might have a quiz.
This is supplemented by “Tea and Tunes” events where people get a mini afternoon tea and then a performer who sings songs from the 60s and 70s. The musical focus is enhanced by a “Singing for Please” group and line dancing.
“A place whose people come together and feel wanted and cared for” T
A Hub Ready to Serve
Eggborough Methodist Church has now become a fully functional Community Resilience Hub following the completion of its energy installation. The project has delivered 20 solar panels with an estimated generation capacity of up to 9 kWhp, alongside associated battery storage of 20 kWh. This means the church is better equipped to provide refuge, warmth, light and practical support for local people during an extended power failure.
The investment also brings wider benefits. By generating clean electricity and storing energy locally, the church can reduce running costs, strengthen its role as a community asset and demonstrate how local buildings can contribute to a more resilient, low-carbon future. In normal times, the system supports the everyday life of the church and its users. In an emergency, it can become a lifeline.
Building resilience before the next storm
The experience at Eggborough shows what is possible when local commitment is matched with targeted support. Climate change will continue to test communities and infrastructure, but resilience can be built before the next storm arrives. Community Resilience Hubs offer a practical, place-based response: they keep people connected, protect those most at risk and give rural communities greater confidence that help will be close at hand when it is needed most.
