Power outage
You often barely notice a short power cut. A long one is different. The Dutch government asks everyone to prepare for the first 72 hours of an emergency, such as a long power outage (Denk vooruit). This page explains what happens, what you can do yourself and what to keep at home. You probably already have most of it.
Most official pages below are in Dutch. Where an English version exists, we link to it.
What happens during a long power cut?
According to Denk vooruit (in Dutch), a long outage can mean:
- Central heating stops, so your home gets cold.
- Appliances that only run on electricity, such as the fridge, stop.
- Telephone exchanges can fail. The mobile network can become overloaded and fail within a few hours.
- Water pressure in the pipes can drop.
If you live in a block of flats, the pump that sends water up to your home also stops (Denk vooruit, in Dutch). Paying by card can also become difficult (Denk vooruit, in Dutch).
The first hour
- Do not call 112. A power cut is not an acute emergency. Call 112 only if there is direct danger (Red Cross, in Dutch). To report an outage, call the national outage number 0800-9009 (Denk vooruit, in Dutch).
- Keep calls short. Many calls at once can overload the network, so emergency calls no longer get through (Red Cross).
- Check whether it is your area. gasenstroomstoringen.nl shows whether there is an outage near you (Red Cross).
- Unplug appliances. Then they are not damaged when the power comes back (Denk vooruit).
- Turn on a battery radio, or use the car radio, and listen to your regional broadcaster (Denk vooruit). Each region has its own station and frequency. Look yours up now (Denk vooruit).
- Keep the fridge and freezer closed. Open them as little as possible so food stays cold for longer (Red Cross).
The first day
Staying warm. If it is cold, keep windows and doors closed and heat only the smallest room (Denk vooruit). Do not make a fire indoors to keep warm. This prevents carbon monoxide poisoning and fire (Red Cross).
Food in the fridge. The Voedingscentrum (Netherlands Nutrition Centre, in Dutch) says half an hour without power is usually fine, but a few hours or a whole day is not. Check the temperature with a fridge thermometer.
- Above 10 °C: throw away vulnerable food such as cold cuts, raw meat or fish, soft cheese and cut vegetables.
- Above 15 °C: also throw away yoghurt, milk and opened sauce or soup.
- Frozen food that is still hard can go back in the freezer. If the outside is soft, do not refreeze it. Keep it in the fridge and eat it within 2 days.
Look out for your neighbours. Help people who need extra support, for example by lending your power bank to charge a phone (Denk vooruit).
Up to 72 hours
Why 72 hours? The European Union recommends that all member states ask residents to be self-reliant for at least 72 hours, and the Netherlands has adopted this (Denk vooruit).
- Cash. If card payments fail, you need cash. The guideline is 70 euros per adult and 30 euros per child (Denk vooruit). Keep a mix of notes and coins (Denk vooruit). You do not need to withdraw it all at once. You can build it up over a few months (Denk vooruit).
- Water. Plan for about 3 litres per person per day (Denk vooruit). See the Water outage guide.
- Food that needs no cooking. Choose food you can eat cold, such as crispbread, wraps, nuts, dried fruit, tinned vegetables, tuna and peanut butter (Voedingscentrum, in Dutch).
- Information point. During a long outage, your municipality may open a physical information point (Red Cross). Municipalities and safety regions are setting up emergency support points (noodsteunpunten) where you can get information. They are not shelters, and not every municipality has one yet (Denk vooruit, in Dutch).
What should you keep at home?
The government’s list includes (Denk vooruit):
- water (about 3 litres per person per day) and food that keeps, such as nuts, tinned vegetables and dried fruit;
- a battery radio and a phone with a charged power bank;
- a torch with spare batteries, candles and matches;
- a first aid kit, blankets, and the medicines you take;
- cash, copies of your ID and a list of important phone numbers.
You do not need an expensive ready-made kit. The government does not recommend brands or sellers, and advises building your own kit, mostly from things you already have (Denk vooruit). Check your supplies every six months (Denk vooruit).
Want to know what your household needs? Make your own list in the wizard. Or see an example: single person, family with 2 children or high-rise apartment.
Special situations
- Babies. Keep enough infant formula or follow-on milk and water. Preferably choose mineral water that is suitable for bottle feeding (Voedingscentrum). See the family with a baby example.
- Pets. Keep food and water for your animals too (Denk vooruit).
- Medicines. Ask your GP or pharmacist for help planning three days of medicines and medical aids (Denk vooruit). Your pharmacist can also tell you how to store each medicine in an emergency, including medicines that need to stay cold (Denk vooruit, in Dutch).
- Medical devices that need power. Contact the supplier of your device and make arrangements for a power cut (Denk vooruit).
- High-rise flats and older people. If the lift stops and you cannot walk well, how do you get out? Plan who helps you and write it in your emergency plan. If you cannot cook in your flat, choose more food that tastes good cold (Voedingscentrum). See the couple aged 65+ example.
Where to find official information
- Your regional broadcaster, on a battery radio or car radio (Denk vooruit).
- The websites of the national government, your municipality and your safety region, if you still have internet (Denk vooruit). In an emergency, central government usually communicates in Dutch and English (Denk vooruit).
- Nederland veilig, the national government’s crisis website (in Dutch).
- NL-Alert on your phone. See the NL-Alert guide.
Sources
- Denk vooruit (English): home
- Denk vooruit (English): Putting together an emergency kit
- Denk vooruit (English): Questions and answers
- Denk vooruit (English): Make an emergency plan
- Denk vooruit (English): Radio
- Denk vooruit (English): Your safety region
- Denk vooruit: Geen stroom (no power), in Dutch
- Denk vooruit: Drinkwater, in Dutch
- Denk vooruit: Elektronisch betalen (electronic payments), in Dutch
- Denk vooruit: Zorg (care) FAQ, in Dutch
- Denk vooruit: Noodsteunpunten FAQ, in Dutch
- Red Cross: Wat te doen bij stroomuitval?, in Dutch
- Voedingscentrum: food in the fridge or freezer during a power cut, in Dutch
- Voedingscentrum: emergency food and drink, in Dutch
- Nederland veilig, in Dutch