Since the storm began to hit central southern England late on Wednesday night, SSEN has restored power to almost 25,000 customers. As of noon today, its teams continue the work to reconnect around 2,000 customers who are still without power, as quickly and safely as possible.
Storm Ciarán’s route was as forecast, with the worst of the winds affecting coastal areas. Gusts of almost 70mph were recorded on the Isle of Wight. 60mph gusts were observed along the south coast. More high winds are forecast for Thursday afternoon across the region, and SSEN is monitoring this closely, and expects there will be more network faults. Flooding in certain areas is having an impact on the ability of engineers to access faults.
SSEN’s teams are working quickly and safely to restore power to customers by rerouting supplies and repairing damage. This rapid and robust response is being aided by the extra teams which have been brought in, including those from our north of Scotland distribution area and contractor partners.
SSEN is also putting in place welfare provision in communities where longer power outages are possible. Vans offering hot food and drink are being moved to affected areas. Further details will be given on SSEN’s social media channels.
The most vulnerable customers in these places are being called or visited and given tailored help and support. SSEN is working with its partners in Local Resilience Forums to co-ordinate welfare support.
SSEN Distribution remains at Yellow Alert status as this bad weather still has the potential to cause damage to the electricity network. SSEN expects further disruption to power supplies throughout the day and is ready to respond to issues as they arise.
SSEN will continue to monitor this storm closely and issue regular updates.
If you see any damage to our equipment, please stay back, don’t touch it and instead report it to us directly by calling 105, or via our Power Track Website, and engineers will investigate as soon as possible.
Customers are also being encouraged to be prepared for the possibility of disruption to supplies by:
- Saving the emergency power cut number - '105' - to your phone to report any loss of supply or damage to the electricity network
- Visiting our Power Track Website to give you details of power cuts and restoration times. You can also report power cuts and network damage through Power Track.
- Visiting the "Preparing for a power cut" section on our website, where there is a wealth of advice and information, or to chat live to one of our advisors via the Webchat service
Customers are also eligible for our Priority Services Register (PSR) if they:
- Are deaf or hard of hearing
- Have a disability
- Live with children under five
- Are blind or partially-sighted
- Have a chronic illness
- Use medical equipment/aids reliant on electricity
- Are over 60.
To find out more about the PSR, click here or call 0800 294 3259.
Support during a power cut
To keep updated with any power cuts across our network, we are encouraging our customers to save the emergency power cut number 105 and to follow us on Facebook and Twitter (ssencommunity) for regular updates.
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Priority Services Register
We all rely on electricity day to day for various things, but for some, a power cut can be worrying or difficult. That’s why we offer extra help and support during a power cut. Registering for our Priority Services helps us to help you when you need it most. All our priority services are free. -
View our tips and advice to help you during a power cut
Dealing with a power cut
If you are currently experiencing a power cut, we know this can be a difficult time. That's why wee've put together some helpful tips and advice to help you during a power cut. You can also download our useful resources to share with your family, friends, and neighbours. -
Report a power cut or damage to our network through our map
Power Track
You can stay updated and track the progress of any faults in your area on our Power Track map or report damage to our network. You can also follow the progress of planned interruptions as well as find the nearest EV charge point if you have an electric vehicle that needs charging during a power cut.