A councillor has launched a stinging attack on Edmonton's electricity provider, after 19 blackouts in the past eight months.

Cllr Denise Headley's comments came after it was revealed there have been 19 power cuts in Edmonton since December 2004.

Most of the blackouts have affected the thousands of residents living in blocks of flats such as Grampian House and Penge House behind the Edmonton Green shopping centre.

She believes that EDF Energy could have done more to rectify problems and communicate with residents. She said: "The service it is providing is abysmal in Edmonton we have a service which is worse than a developing nation.

"The fact is people here are poor, and many are from ethnic minorities. This would not be allowed to happen in Knightsbridge, or places like Trent ward in Enfield."

A spokeswoman for EDF Energy blamed the majority of blackouts on workmen accidentally cutting through electricity cables while working in Victoria Road, Rosebery Road, the Eley Estate and Edmonton Green shopping centre.

She added: "We are committed to providing a reliable supply of electricity and, in a bid to reduce the number of power interruptions caused by contractors damaging underground cables, actively encourage any firm undertaking work to contact us in advance for advice and free cable-locating maps, to help them avoid our cables.

"This is vital for their own safety as well as for the security of electricity supplies," she added.

Cllr Headley has dismissed EDF's explanation as a "lame excuse", and has called on the council to lobby EDF to improve its service in the east of the borough.

Enfield Council declined to comment on the issue.