Energy customers mistakenly get huge compensation cheques

An energy company has made a major blunder after it mistakenly sent compensation cheques to 74 customers worth trillions of pounds.

Northern Powergrid is paying compensation to tens of thousands of customers who were left without power after Storm Arwen hit the country in November 2020.

But dozens of customers were mistakenly sent cheques worth more than £2.3 trillion each. causing some people to take to Twitter to share the news, WalesOnline reports.

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Gareth Hughes from Hebden Bridge was one such customer.

Commenting on Twitter, he said: "Thank you for our compensation payment Northern Powergrid for the several days we were without power following Storm Arwen.

"Before I bank the cheque however, are you 100% certain you can afford this?"

Northern Powergrid got contacted Mr Hughes and asked him to provide the company with his contact details so that the error could be corrected. Mr Hughes then replied that many other people in the area had also received the cheques.

He said: "You might want to check what other payments you've made, as I'm aware of at least four other cheques for the same value sent to neighbouring properties."

While Mr Hughes' honesty is to be commended many other people admitted they would have tried to bank the cheques.

One user said: "Bank it" Then share it equally between us all."

Northern Powergrid admitted that 74 customers had been given the incorrect cheques and thanked its 'honest' customers. Those who received the cheques were living in properties with Halifax and Newcastle postcodes.

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