Teams from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) restore power to customers in the Highlands after Storms Malik and Corrie brought 90mph gusts to region
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Electricity has been restored to more customers overnight after Storms Malik and Corrie left thousands homes – including some in the Highlands – without power.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) is continuing to respond to the significant damage from the storms which brought gusts of over 90mph across the region.
It said it had made significant progress overnight and by 9am today, power had been restored to over 120,000 customers with about 1900 customers remaining off supply, mainly in Aberdeenshire. Power will be restored to all customers by this evening.
During the storms, SSEN’s network experienced more than 450 high voltage network faults caused by fallen trees and wind-borne debris striking overhead power lines.
The intensity of the wind storms, stronger than Storm Arwen in some locations, caused multiple damage to SSEN’s infrastructure, requiring complex repairs.
The main areas affected were rural Aberdeenshire and the Angus border with some customers also losing supplies in the Highlands, the Moray Coast,Western Isles and Perthshire.
SSEN is continuing to enhance resources and welfare provision, working closely with local resilience partnerships to help coordinate community response and provide support to customers affected.
Over 500 additional operational team-members, from other areas of SSEN and partners across the UK and Ireland, are helping restoration efforts.
For customers without power who need support and are unable to make alternative arrangements to stay with family or a friend, SSEN will reimburse reasonable costs for alternative accommodation.
SSEN has deployed welfare facilities including the following locations:
Auldearn: The 1645 Inn, High Street.
Beauly: The Priory Hotel, The Square.
Dingwall: Renatos, High Street - open until 8pm.
Kingussie: Sugar Bowl Cafe.
Customers unable to access welfare facilities and who remain off supply may claim back the cost of meals up to £15 per person. Customers are being asked to keep copies of receipts for any claims.
SSEN continues to urge customers not to approach any damage to its equipment and instead, report it by calling 105 or via its Power Track App and engineers will investigate as soon as possible.
Richard Gough, SSEN's director of distribution system operations, said the teams were making a big final push to reconnect the final homes affected by the severe weekend storms.
"Although discovery of further damage and continued strong winds have hampered us, we have made real progress and remain confident all supplies will be restored today," he said.
"I would like to thank customers for their continued patience and reassure them that every effort is being made to restore their power as quickly and safely as possible."
He added: "I would also like to recognise the effort and dedication of SSEN teams and engineers from distribution network operators from across the UK and Ireland who continue to work hard in difficult conditions to restore power safely to communities across the north of Scotland."
Further information can be found on SSEN’s website at www.ssen.co.uk.
SSEN also has a Priority Services Register (PSR) to provide extra help and support during a power cut. Customers are eligible 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
Temporarily need extra support
Go to www.ssen.co.uk/priorityservices or call 0800 294 3259.
Read more: Storm Corrie set to bring further disruption
