SSEN’S DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS SAYS THE STORM CAUSED “SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE”

Mark Rough, Director of Customer Operations at SSEN, said: “The severity and prolonged nature of Storm Arwen has caused widespread and extensive damage to our network in North East Scotland, with significant and challenging conditions resulting in multiple cases of damage to several overhead line circuits.

“We continue to make good progress on repairs and power restoration, with an additional 9,500 customer supplies restored overnight and through this morning.

“We are committed to restoring power to as many customers today as possible, but given the complexity and scale of the situation, some customers will continue to be without power overnight.

“The extent of the damage means that the necessary repair work is complex and often requires a long access clearance just to reach problem areas, with substantial tree cutting and reinstallation of overhead network infrastructure.

“We continue to work closely with our local resilience partners to prioritize support for our most vulnerable clients.

“We encourage any vulnerable customer who has concerns about their supply, or if you have concerns about a vulnerable relative or neighbor, please call our teams on 105.

“We would like to once again thank our customers for their patience and continued understanding in what continues to be very difficult circumstances. “