Final customers to have power restored following weekend storms

All properties left without power due to damage caused by two storms will have supplies restored by Wednesday night, engineers have said.

More than 100,000 customers faced extended power cuts after Storm Corrie battered the country on Sunday, with wind speeds of more than 90mph recorded in places, the day after Storm Malik.

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said that as of 9am on Wednesday, around 1,900 customers remained off supply, predominantly in Aberdeenshire.

Richard Gough, director of distribution system operations at SSEN, said he “remains confident” all supplies will be restored by the end of the day.

He said: “Our teams are making a big final push to reconnect the final homes affected by the severe weekend storms.

“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.

“We continue to work closely with local resilience partnerships in Aberdeenshire to support the welfare effort for customers who remain off supply.

“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.”

The main areas affected by the weather have been rural Aberdeenshire and the Angus border, with some customers also off supply in Perthshire, the Highlands, Western Isles and the Moray coast.

SSEN said its engineers, supported by 500 additional operational and support staff from across the UK and Ireland, had worked to restore supplies despite ongoing several weather, with wind gusts on Tuesday still reaching 65mph on the north-east coast.

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.

Customers unable to access welfare facilities and who remain off supply may claim back the cost of meals up to £15 per person, and they are asked to keep copies of receipts for any claims.

Across both storms, SSEN said its supplies experienced in excess of 450 high voltage network faults caused by fallen trees and wind-borne debris striking overhead power lines.

The utilities provider said the intensity of the wind storms, stronger than Storm Arwen in some locations, caused serious damage to the company’s infrastructure.