Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution has raised its warning to Yellow Alert in the north of Scotland ahead of Storm Isha, which will bring storm-force winds to the region tomorrow night (Sunday 21 January) and into Monday.
💨 The weather forecast
Our latest weather model shows winds picking up from around 6pm on Sunday evening in the Western Isles, Islay, and Kintyre. In these areas, gusts of up to 80mph are possible in exposed locations.
The strongest winds are expected around 3am on Monday with 70–80mph gusts possible in the Western Isles, Caithness, the north-west Highlands, Orkney, and on the west coast down to Fort William and Mull. 65mph gusts will be widespread across the north of Scotland.
Based on this weather forecast, we anticipate damage to the electricity network from fallen trees, and other debris.
By early Monday morning, wind speeds are expected to fall, but it will remain blustery during the day.
The Met Office has its own warnings in place for this period of severe weather. More details of these can be found here.
👷 Our response
SSEN has been monitoring this rapidly-evolving weather system for several days, and we have already activated our well-rehearsed contingency plans. We are bringing in extra teams to deal with any damage to the network and subsequent faults, which may interrupt customers’ power supplies.
Our team that responds to customers’ calls and queries is also being bolstered in preparation for the storm arriving.
We will now be proactively getting in touch with customers on our Priority Services Register to offer them tailored help and advice.
We will continue to watch this storm closely as it develops, and we will issue further updates depending on the forecast.
📞 Help and advice
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 our engineers will investigate as soon as possible.
You can help prepare 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
And you could be eligible for extra help from our Priority Services Register (PSR) if you or a member of your household...
- Are deaf or hard of hearing
- Have a disability
- Is a child 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.
How to get prepared
In preparation for any potential power cuts, 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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Register for extra support during a power cut
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
Preparing for a power cut
With bad weather on the way, we'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 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.