By Chris Story

Last updated 10:43, Saturday, 30 August 2008

KINGMOOR Park managing director Tony Goddard has praised the team that restored power to the Carlisle industrial estate.

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Counting the cost: Austen Davies during the power cut which ruined fish and game stocks

A giant generator was powered-up during the early hours of yesterday – pumping electricity to a handful of firms which had been without power since Wednesday.

Mr Goddard said: “Whenever problems like this occur – whether it be in a residential area, retail park or here on an industrial estate – it still takes time and expertise to assess the problem and address it.

“The generator we sourced is extremely rare and extremely large. It certainly wasn’t easy for the team to source and transport this piece of equipment in such a short space of time.

“I am grateful for their efforts and the efforts of all the other organisations involved to address this issue as speedily as possible.”

Kingmoor management say the power loss happened at about 4am on Wednesday when a faulty cable serving the park’s main intake sub-station damaged an electricity transformer, which led to a loss of electricity.

United Utilities engineers were called in and four generators were brought on site and offered to tenants.

And when the extent of the problems became known, estate bosses located a large generator capable of powering a small town – but it would take major planning to get to Carlisle.

Power to 90 per cent of the site was back on by 10.30pm on Wednesday, but the remaining buildings could not be powered up again until the large generator was shipped in.

Logistical problems meant that it did not arrive until 9pm on Thursday with the electricity back up by 12.30am yesterday.

About 100 companies are based at Kingmoor Park, north of the city on the former RAF 14MU site.

And at least one firm was facing major losses as a result of the power failure.

Austen Davies, owner of Fosters Fish and Game and Border County Food, says he has lost thousands of pounds-worth of perishable stock from his fridges and freezers.

He brought in his own generator yesterday to ensure a 24-hour power supply.

He said: “I’m feeling less and less happy as the time moves on and it isn’t over yet.”

As well as having to throw out a large amount of fresh fish and game, Mr Davies has been unable to fulfil a contract to supply a top Lancashire hotel with food and had to cancel plans to sell produce in Kendal yesterday.

Some firms at Kingmoor – including engineering firm Capita, which employs 450 people at its offices – already had generators that kicked in when the power was lost. Others managed to work without electricity.

Power supply firm United Utilities said they found no fault with the cables it was responsible for, but that engineers had helped restore power to parts of the estate to give management time to repair the fault.