SSEN Distribution said on 26 September 2023 that it was monitoring forecasts ahead of unsettled weather across its network areas in the north of Scotland and central southern England from Wednesday 27 September through to the evening of Thursday 28 September1. The company said Storm Agnes had been named by the Met Office and was expected to move into western areas of the UK and Ireland on Wednesday1.
In preparation, SSEN said it had enacted its resilience plans and increased standby resources in anticipation of potential damage to its network1. The advisory covers two of its network areas, north Scotland and central southern England, over the two days1.
"SSEN Distribution is monitoring forecasts ahead of a period of unsettled weather across its network areas in the north of Scotland and central southern England from Wednesday 27 September through to the evening of Thursday 28 September."
SSEN listed the groups eligible for its free Priority Services Register (PSR), which it says provides extra help and support during a power cut1:
| Eligible for SSEN priority services1 |
|---|
| Deaf or hard of hearing |
| Have a disability |
| Live with children under five |
| Blind or partially sighted |
| Have a chronic illness |
| Use medical equipment or aids reliant on electricity |
| Over 60 |
SSEN said customers can find out more about the PSR through its website or by calling 0800 294 32591.
Why it matters for households
The advisory applies to households in SSEN's north Scotland and central southern England network areas, from Wednesday 27 September to the evening of Thursday 28 September1. SSEN said it had increased standby resources because of possible damage to its network1.
SSEN encouraged customers to be prepared by saving the emergency power cut number 105 to report any loss of supply or damage to the electricity network, downloading its Power Track app for details of power cuts and restoration times and to report power cuts and network damage, visiting its website for advice on dealing with a power cut or to chat live to an advisor, and following its Facebook and Twitter accounts for updates1. SSEN said its PSR provides extra help and support during a power cut, and listed the groups eligible for the free service1. Further detail on storms and power cuts is in the guide to storms and snow.
What happens next
SSEN said it was monitoring forecasts over the period from 27 September to the evening of 28 September1. No further dated steps have been reported.
