SSEN Distribution, the electricity distribution network operator for the north of Scotland and central southern England, moved to Yellow Alert status on 28 January 2022 in anticipation of gale force winds forecast to affect the north of Scotland on Saturday morning and again on Sunday afternoon into Monday morning1.
Saturday's weather front, named Storm Malik by the Danish Meteorological Institute, is expected to bring winds in excess of 70mph in the West and North West including the Western Isles, with gusts of 80mph also expected in Shetland and up to 65mph in other parts of the operator's region1. On Sunday afternoon, a second weather front is expected to bring wind gusts of 85mph in the Western Isles and North West Highlands, with potential gusts of up to 70mph on the west coast and in the North East1.
The operator said it had enacted its resilience plans, was increasing and moving additional resources to key locations, including teams from its central southern England licence area, and was in contact with local resilience partners1. Proactive texts were sent to over 59,000 customers on its Priority Services Register in advance of the storm, and advisors were calling customers registered in the highest category of vulnerability1.
"If you see any damaged equipment, please keep a safe distance and report it to us by calling 105 or via our Power Track App, and engineers will investigate as soon as possible."
SSEN Distribution said customers are eligible for the 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, are over 60, or are categorised at high risk or extremely high risk of severe illness from coronavirus1. The register can be reached on 0800 294 32591.
| Forecast | Areas named | Wind speeds given |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday morning, Storm Malik | West and North West including the Western Isles; Shetland; other parts of the operating region | In excess of 70mph; gusts of 80mph in Shetland; up to 65mph elsewhere |
| Sunday afternoon into Monday morning, second front | Western Isles and North West Highlands; west coast; North East | Gusts of 85mph; potential gusts of up to 70mph on the west coast and North East |
Why it matters for households
The alert covers households in the north of Scotland served by SSEN Distribution, which delivers power to over 3.8 million homes and businesses across central southern England and the north of Scotland1. Disruption to supplies is possible from Saturday morning, with a second period of strong winds from Sunday afternoon into Monday morning1. The operator encouraged customers to be prepared for the possibility of disruption by saving the emergency power cut number, 105, to their phone to report power cuts or damage to the electricity network, and by downloading its Power Track app, which provides details of power cuts and restoration times and allows customers to report power cuts and network damage1. It also pointed to advice on dealing with a power cut on its website and to updates on its Facebook and Twitter accounts1. Households can read more on storms and snow.
What happens next
SSEN Distribution said it would continue to monitor weather forecasts and provide updates if the situation changed, and would continue to monitor the weather as forecasts change and update its plans accordingly1.
