HOUSEHOLDERS near Tilbury power station have been told not to fear potential blackouts or power curfews as a result of the blaze.

Residents and businesses are being reassured the fire won’t have any effect on their everyday lives as the National Grid is more than capable of coping with the loss of production at Tilbury.

Kelly Brown, spokesman for RWE Npower, which runs the plant, said even though the power station, in Fort Road, was now officially “offline”, there was no need for concern.

The facility can power about 1.5 million homes when working at full capacity. However because everything it produces gets pumped into the National Grid and not shared out regionally, it won’t have a local effect.

Ms Brown said: “There is also no loss of electricity supply to local homes and businesses. It doesn’t work like that. It would take a heck of a lot of power stations to go down at the same time and for a long time to have any kind of shortage problems.

“When a power station grinds to a halt for whatever reason, the National Grid has surplus stocks to deal with this. People shouldn’t worry.”

Bosses from the plant say it’s too early to say when power production can resume but admitted it could be days.

But assurances aren’t enough for business group, the Essex Federation of Small Businesses, which expressed concerns the National Grid was already overburdened.

Branch vice-chairman, David Barnes, said: “Clearly safety must come first for those at Tilbury Power Station, so shutting down the station and the high voltage cables in that area is a necessary step.

“However, the reports on the situation suggest this major power station is likely to be closed for some time to allow repair.

“We have heard capacity for power generation is under considerable pressure, so it is important proper procedures are put in place so the National Grid can guarantee power supplies.”