THE electricity company that cut the power at part of an industrial estate has launched an investigation to find out how some businesses were given "inaccurate information".

Businesses in Churchfields were affected by a planned six-hour power outage in the middle of the working day on Tuesday, February 13.

It later transpired that some of the businesses which received a letter from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) on Friday, February 2, did not have their power supply disconnected and effectively missed a day of work for no reason.

Read more: ​Churchfields businesses close for power cut that never happened

Today, February 15, the company confirmed that 24 businesses were handed notice of the planned supply interruption (PSI).

The Journal understands Wessex Packaging, V-tec Automotive and Maniflow, all on Mitchell Road, were given inaccurate information from SSEN.

Salisbury Journal: Churchfields Industrial Estate.Churchfields Industrial Estate. (Image: Newsquest)

SSEN has accepted responsibility for the error and has launched an internal investigation to find out how these businesses were misinformed.

A spokesperson for the company said: "SSEN can confirm that connections work in Churchfields, which required a Planned Supply Interruption to 24 local businesses, has been carried out on 13 February as scheduled.

“It has come to light that a small number of businesses, which were given advance notice of the works, were not affected by the PSI on the day.

“SSEN accepts responsibility for this error and apologises to these businesses. An internal investigation is now being carried out to establish how these customers came to be given inaccurate information.”

Salisbury Journal: Brian and Dean Clayton closed Wessex Packaging ahead of the planned power cut.Brian and Dean Clayton closed Wessex Packaging ahead of the planned power cut. (Image: Salisbury Journal)

Brian Clayton,  59, owner of Wessex Packaging, closed for the day based on SSEN's false information which he said had caused "untold problems" for the business.

"We have lost at least £5k in production time. Now we have to make that up in overtime so it's time and a half. Some of the guys have lost their holidays all for nothing," he told the Journal.

Thomas Plastow owns V-tec Automotive came in to find the lights working after giving all his employees the day off.

Mr Plastow must now try and make time during the day to fit in customer's MOTs.

He said: "It was a bit of a disaster for us. I think it's a complete joke that they did not know which businesses are tied into which electricity supply."