Teams from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution have successfully reconnected most of the tens of thousands of customers in the north of Scotland whose power supply was affected by Storm Isha’s destructive winds.
SSEN’s network held up well to the impact of Isha, but its storm-force winds have caused damage in several areas, where trees and wind-borne debris have come into contact with power lines.
👷 How we've responded
As of 9.45pm tonight, supplies have been successfully restored to more than 36,000 homes, with just under 800 customers still off supply.
|
SSEN District |
Total number of customers off supply |
|
Argyll & West Highland |
338 |
|
Highlands |
148 |
|
North East |
50 |
|
Tayside & Central |
262 |
SSEN anticipates being able to connect all but around 600 customers by the end of the evening. Due to the nature of the damage caused by the storm, and the challenges getting to faults because of fallen trees and road closures, full network restoration is not going to be possible for all customers tonight.
This evening, as well as doing all we can to fix outstanding faults as quickly and safely as possible, SSEN’s focus is on supporting those households who are likely to be without power for some - or all - of the night.
Customers on SSEN’s Priority Services Register have been offered alternative accommodation if they are likely to be without power overnight; people on the Register can claim reasonable costs for alternative accommodation if it is expected they will be without power for over 24 hours.
During the course of Monday, SSE’s customer contact centre team has been in direct contact with more than 8,500 people to offer them help, information, and support.
Vans offering free hot food and drink will open for breakfast tomorrow morning in the following locations for people who are still without power:
As part of SSEN’s support package, customers who will be without power for more than 12 hours are entitled to £30 per person for every day without power, to cover the cost of food and drink. People should keep hold of their receipts and claim costs back at www.ssen.co.uk/stormclaim
Andy Smith, Operations Director at SSEN Distribution, said:
"I would like to thank customers for their patience on what has been a challenging day in the wake of a very severe storm. Right through last night and all day today, our teams have been working hard to keep people connected. They’ve been switching the network, carrying out repairs, answering customers’ queries and offering help and support. I would like to thank them, and colleagues from our contract partners, for their hard work in response to Storm Isha.
“Our priority tonight is getting as many people as possible reconnected by the end of the evening, and doing all we can to support those customers who will still be without power overnight.
“I’d like to remind people they can call on our power cut helpline on 105 at any time for help, advice, and support.
“Another named storm - Storm Jocelyn - is expected to cause disruption tomorrow, so we’re watching its path carefully and we are ready to respond to any issues it might cause on our network through Tuesday and Wednesday.”
📞 Advice for customers
DO NOT approach any damaged equipment. Instead, report it by calling 105 or via SSEN’s Power Track App and engineers will investigate as soon as possible.
You can also 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
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.