Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said it returned to "business as usual" operating status at 11pm on Monday 9 December, when the final homes were reconnected after Storm Darragh1. The network operator said it had reconnected 87,000 customers across central southern England since the storm first swept the region early on Saturday 7 December1.
SSEN described Darragh as the worst storm of the winter so far, both for wind speeds and for how long it lasted. Gusts of more than 70 mph were widespread in inland areas of central southern England, which the company said is rare away from the coast. Winds picked up early on Saturday 7 December, peaked later that day and stayed high until Sunday evening, when the Yellow Met Office warning for wind expired, with faults occurring on the network throughout that period1. Work continued through Monday on repairs, with mobile generators used alongside permanent repairs to speed reconnection, and SSEN said work will continue over the coming days to bring the network back to full operational health1.
The company gave the following figures for its response1:
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Team members deployed | One thousand-strong team, with several hundred out on the network each day |
| Contact Centre calls taken | 20,000 |
| Priority Service Register customers contacted | Almost 73,000 |
| Meals served from hot food vans | Almost 4,000 |
| Website visits during the response | Almost 240,000 |
Eliane Algaard, SSEN's Director of Customer Operations for central southern England, said:
"After an extremely busy weekend, Monday saw us work hard to reconnect the final customers who lost supplies during Storm Darragh. Some of these repairs were complex and localised, in pockets spread right across our large network area."
SSEN also asked anyone who sees damage to its equipment to stay back, not touch it, and report it by calling 105 or via its Power Track website, so engineers can investigate as soon as possible1.
Why it matters for households
The reconnection applies to homes in SSEN's central southern England network area that lost power during Storm Darragh. For those households, the immediate supply interruption has ended, but SSEN said work will continue over the coming days to return the network to full operational health, so further local interruptions during that work have not been ruled out in its statement1. Households can read more on how storms affect overhead and underground supplies, and on what to expect during restoration, in the guide to storms and the electricity network, and on the specific events of 7 to 9 December in Storm Darragh 2024. General preparation for supply interruptions is covered in the power cuts hub, and winter weather planning in the storms and snow hub.
SSEN's published figures show the scale of contact during the event: 20,000 calls to its Contact Centre and almost 73,000 Priority Service Register customers contacted with help, guidance and support1. Households that depend on electricity for medical equipment or have other additional needs can register for priority support; SSEN's own pages on the Priority Services Register and on advice and support are linked from its announcement1.
What happens next
SSEN said work will continue over the coming days to bring its network back to full operational health following the storm1. No further dates have been reported.
Sources (1)
- Homes reconnected following Storm Darragh - SSEN, ssen.co.uk
Storms and the Electricity Grid
Storm Darragh 2024
