SSEN Distribution, the electricity network operator for central southern England, moved to Weather Warning status on 30 October 2023 ahead of Storm Ciaran, activating contingency plans and standing up additional teams to deal with possible damage to the network and subsequent faults1. The following day it moved to Yellow Alert status, saying the decision came "as a result of the increasing certainty about the storm's duration and route, and the potential it has to cause damage to the electricity network"2.
The operator's weather model showed southerly and south-westerly gusts of between 60 and 70mph along the Hampshire and Sussex coast, inland gusts of up to 60mph in Dorset, and gusts in excess of 50mph possible in Berkshire, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire. The winds were expected to be accompanied by persistent, heavy rain1. The second update placed the coastal gusts overnight on Wednesday and throughout the day on Thursday2.
| Area | Forecast gusts |
|---|---|
| Hampshire and Sussex coast | 60 to 70mph, southerly and south-westerly1 |
| Dorset (inland) | Up to 60mph1 |
| Berkshire, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire | In excess of 50mph possible1 |
"SSEN is now activating its well-rehearsed contingency plans and is standing up additional teams to deal with any damage to the network and subsequent faults, which may impact customers' power supplies."
In its 31 October update, SSEN said the additional teams would be aided by colleagues from its north of Scotland distribution area and contractor partners, that teams answering customers' phone queries were being bolstered, and that it was already calling its most vulnerable customers. It said more than 250,000 customers on the Priority Services Register would be contacted ahead of the storm, and that welfare provisions were being organised for affected areas2.
Why it matters for households
The warning covers households in parts of Hampshire, Sussex, Dorset, Berkshire, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire, from overnight on Wednesday 1 November and through Thursday 2 November, according to the operator's forecast2. 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 map or app for details of power cuts and restoration times1. It asks anyone who sees damage to its equipment to stay back, not touch it, and report it on 105 or through Power Track1.
SSEN says households 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. The register can be discussed on 0800 294 32591. Our guide to the Priority Services Register sets out who can join and what it provides, and our page on storms and the electricity network explains what happens during storm related outages.
What happens next
SSEN said it would continue to monitor the storm closely as it developed and issue further updates depending on the forecast1. It said customers can follow updates on its Facebook page, ssencommunity1. No further status changes have been reported.
Storms and the Electricity Grid
