Gale-force winds from Storm Jocelyn hit the north of Scotland overnight

Storm Jocelyn brought several hours of gale-force winds to the north of Scotland overnight, with a gust of 74mph recorded in South Uist at around 10pm, according to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution¹. In an update published on 24 January 2024, the network operator said its teams had reconnected almost all homes that lost power because of the storm's winds¹.

As of 5:00pm on 24 January, supplies had been restored to 7,000 customers, with fewer than 100 properties still off supply, SSEN said. Those remaining were expected to be reconnected by the end of that evening¹. Control room teams worked through the night to respond to faults and restore power remotely where possible, while crews of linespeople and tree cutters were out all day to assess and repair damage¹. SSEN said the storm coincided with its response to Storm Isha, and that staff who had already fixed faults caused by Isha were rested and redeployed onto the network at first light¹.

Andy Smith, Operations Director at SSEN Distribution, said:

SSEN said customers who have been without power for more than 12 hours are entitled to £30 per person for every day off supply, to cover the cost of food and drink, and that people should keep hold of their receipts and claim costs back at www.ssen.co.uk/stormclaim¹. The operator asked anyone still without power who has not heard from it to call 105¹. It also said people should not approach any damaged equipment, and should instead report it by calling 105 or via its Power Track app so engineers can investigate as soon as possible¹.

Why it matters for households

The disruption affected households across the north of Scotland, where SSEN said its network held up well to the impact of the storm¹. For those still off supply on the evening of 24 January, reconnection was expected by the end of that evening¹. SSEN advises customers to save the emergency power cut number, 105, to report any loss of supply or damage to the electricity network, and to use its Power Track website for details of power cuts and restoration times¹. It also points customers to the "Preparing for a power cut" section of its website and to its webchat service¹.

SSEN said customers are eligible for its free Priority Services Register 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 or aids reliant on electricity, or are over 60¹. It said registering helps it to help customers when they need it most, and that details are available on 0800 294 3259¹. The operator encourages customers to follow its Facebook and Twitter (ssencommunity) accounts for regular updates¹.

For households travelling during high winds, the guide on how to drive safely in strong winds sets out the risks, and the storms and snow hub covers wider preparation.

What happens next

SSEN said the final few remaining customers were expected to be reconnected by the end of the evening of 24 January, and that it was on track to do so¹. Customers who have been off supply for more than 12 hours can claim food and drink costs, with receipts, through the storm claim page¹.