Sleep apnea machine and power outage - what help is available?

Hi ​@antlewis ,

I’m gonna give ​@Ben_OVO a heads up on this as I feel it’d be best to get my answer peer-reviewed by a Forum Moderator for your safety and welfare.

To the best of my knowledge, OVO can indeed explore options for this via the Priority Services Register. If you haven’t already set this up, please check out https://www.ovoenergy.com/help/article/priority-services-register where you can sign up via various options.

If memory serves, should the power go out, the PSR will have your back as long as you’re already registered correctly - the DNO would likely be the ones to drop off the back up power supply but OVO can make sure they know to do so.

I’d also recommend having a word with the equipment manufacturer or your doctor who may be able to upgrade your equipment to have its own back up supply for double protection and redundancy. Having two layers is better than one because it’d extend your runtime and provide a fallback in case one doesn’t work.

I hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions.

thanks i have just registered

If you registered with OVO, they are supposed to ensure that your DNO put you on their register too. This doesn’t always work, though, so it’s a good idea to do it yourself. Find your DNO here: 
 

  
While you’re at it, you could make sure you’re on your water supplier’s PSR as well. You may think you don’t really need to be, but you never know.

A CPAP (Constantly Provided Air Pressure) machine for Sleep Apnoea cutting out during a power cut or any other reason is not an emergency situation.

Even if your CPAP machine goes off due to a power outage you will still be able to breathe, and to sleep, just not as well as you would with the extra air pressure that the machine provides to the mask.
The mask has a valve to allow normal breating if the flow of pressurised air gets interupted for any reason.
You can test/try it yourself, put the mask on without turning the CPAP machine on and you will still be able to breathe.
You may well wake up if your CPAP machine goes off during the night and you start snoring, but not everyone does.

As it is not a ‘life threatining’ situation then it may not attract a charitable donation of a back-up power source, or it might do depending on how generous the company is feeling. (And OVO are pretty generous with such things).

You can buy backup power supplies yourself if you want to and can afford it, prices vary depending on just how much backup power/time you want.
eg. this one can be used to power NHS issued CPAP machines. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Expandable-Capacity-Charging-Generator/dp/B0B9B9MPX6

Obviously if you can get one provided as a charitable measure then that’s even better.

Someone posted it on the swindon hospital sleep apnea facebook page 

Hey ​@antlewis,

Honestly, Facebook posts can be a bit hit or miss! I always recommend relying on reputable sources like OFGEM or your energy supplier for information you can trust. Take a look at the links I shared above; they’ll help you understand your options. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out, we're here to help!

Yes you are right, my friend has received their back up generator for their oxygen equipment too, it cost between £450-£650 as he googled how much they are, its not ridiculously huge & looks quite smart. I'm saddened Ovo aren't supporting the vulnerable more too. I also use a cpap machine. The best Ovo did was an electric throw for me, beggers can't be choosers i suppose, least i'll be able to keep my corpse warm with a blanket when i stop breathing if the electric goes out 😂🤦🏼‍♀️

Oh & of course Ovo can't find anything out about it, they are hardly going to advertise the fact!! Same as i doubt Ovo would put it out there neither, suddenly they'd be getting thousands joining for the generators.

Hi ​@Samo 

,.. my friend has received their back up generator for their oxygen equipment….

I also use a cpap machine.

Could I just point out that you are comparing two very different situations there.

A CPAP machine is not “oxygen equipment”, it’s just a pump that pressurises the ambient air and delivers it to a breating mask.
Even if the CPAP machine is not running at all you can still breathe the air at ambient pressure.

Oxygen  concentrator equipment is different.
Without the oxygen concentration then your friends situation could be life threatening, hence the need for a backup power supply.

…. of course Ovo can't find anything out about it ...

I’m not sure that SSEN are not providing battery packs for CPAP machines (alone) either, they say that to be eligble for a free one then your/your equipment have to meet “Specific Criteria” -but they are certainly providing them for customers who use Oxygenators; and information about the SSEN scheme (they are a DNO, a Distribution Network Operator, BTW and don't sell to consumers) is pretty easy to find on their website:
https://www.ssen.co.uk/news-views/2026/SSEN-gives-20000-home-battery-packs-to-customers-who-need-the-most-support/

Quote from that page:

In an industry first, we've now delivered the first of 20,000 home battery packs to customers who will most benefit from the extra peace-of-mind and help they offer. We are providing these at no cost to people who meet certain specific criteria, and who are signed up for our Priority Services. 

Welcome to the OVO Forum ​@Samo, I hope you’re doing well.

Thanks for everyone’s involvement here. I just wanted to point out that SSE are no longer a domestic energy supplier. ​@antlewis is referring to Scottish and Southern Energy Networks (SSEN) providing back up power packs to those signed up to the Priority Services Register (PSR). SSEN are a network operator in charge of the electrical supply cables running up into people’s properties, whereas OVO are a domestic energy supplier. 

​@Samo my recommendation is, firstly, to ensure you are signed up to the Priority Services Register (find out more in the article below). Secondly, you could contact your network operator to find out if the battery pack is something that they are offering people who fall under their supply area.

This link will allow you to locate your network operator, and their contact details: https://www.energynetworks.org/customers/find-my-network-operator.