As I know that you've all been hanging on desperately for the answer, and won't be able to enjoy Christmas until you know what it is, here we go -
the energy supplier told her it would take two to fiver days for a confirmation letter to arrive, when they get the letter they could ring up and the meter would automatically be switched over straightaway, if they needed power in the meantime though they could ring the supplier who would arrange for a local shop that does pre payment to take cash off them so that they'd have a supply before then.
And as if by magic that's exactly what happened.