Around 150 properties in Brechin cannot yet be safely reconnected

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said on 21 October 2023 that it had restored supplies to 37,000 customers after Storm Babet, with more than two-thirds reconnected within three hours. The network operator said it had fixed over 450 network faults over the previous three days and deployed a team of 600 people, ten times the size of its normal day-to-day operations¹.

Around 150 properties in Brechin remain without supply. SSEN said teams are working within the Local Resilience Partnership to support people in the town, and that the remaining floodwater and the damage within properties mean connections cannot be restored safely at this time. The company said it is working with authorities through the partnership to understand when power can be restored safely¹.

SSEN said its welfare operation had served more than 2,000 hot meals to people in affected areas. It asked any customer still without supply who has not been contacted to call 105, saying the problem may be very localised and not visible on central systems¹.

Why it matters for households

For the households in Brechin still off supply, reconnection depends on floodwater clearing and property damage being made safe, not only on network repairs. SSEN has not reported a date for restoring these connections¹.

SSEN set out its support package for customers affected by the storm. People who have had no 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, and should keep receipts and claim costs back at ssen.co.uk/stormclaim. Under the regulated Guaranteed Standards of Performance, customers off supply for more than 48 hours will receive £80, with a further £40 for every subsequent six-hour period, up to a maximum of £2,000. SSEN said customers do not need to contact it to request this compensation, as the process is automatic and will be processed in the weeks after the event¹.

SSEN advises households to save the emergency power cut number, 105, to use if power goes off or if damage to the electricity network is seen, and to use its Power Track website or app for details of power cuts and restoration times and to report faults. It urges people not to go near damaged equipment and to report it by calling 105 or via Power Track so engineers can investigate¹.

SSEN's free Priority Services Register provides extra help during a power cut. The company lists eligibility as: being over 60; having a disability; being deaf or hard of hearing; living with children under five; being blind or partially sighted; having a chronic illness; using medical equipment or aids reliant on electricity; or temporarily needing extra support. The register can be reached on 0800 294 3259¹.

For general preparation for supply interruptions, see the site's power cuts hub.

What happens next

SSEN said final fault assessments will be carried out, after which compensation for outages over 48 hours will be processed automatically in the weeks following the event. It said it continues to work with authorities through the Local Resilience Partnership to establish when power can be restored safely in Brechin¹.