PLANNED engineering work will leave homes in an Essex town without power for up to seven hours today.
UK Power Networks is carrying out planned works in the Witham area.
The electricity was switched off at 9am and is expected to return between 2.30pm and 3.30pm today.
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The outage is affecting properties in the CM8 3 and CO5 9 postcodes, and includes parts of Silver End, Rivenhall, Little Braxted, Beacon Hill and Wickham Bishops. 
A UK Power Networks spokesman said: "We're carrying out planned work in your area.
"For our engineers to carry it out safely they need to turn the power off.
"We're doing this work as it's essential to provide reliable electricity supplies to your area. We're sorry for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your patience.
"We're committed to providing you with a safe and reliable electricity supply. We invest millions every year in upgrading and improving our electricity network.
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"This involves regularly carrying out maintenance to prevent any damage to our electricity cables, lines and equipment.
"For example, we could be repairing or replacing an old or damaged underground cable.
"If we need to switch off your power, we will give you as much notice as possible, unless it’s an emergency situation."
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