Storm Éowyn disrupts power to tens of thousands of UK homes

SSEN said its Priority Services team contacted more than 2,000 vulnerable customers by telephone during Storm Éowyn, with in-person visits co-ordinated by the Priority Services Register (PSR) team. The network operator said the storm brought disruption to tens of thousands of homes across the UK, and that its team worked to ensure customers in its north of Scotland and central southern England licence areas were given the extra help they needed¹.

The account was published on 19 February 2025, alongside SSEN's announcement that it had signed up its one millionth customer to the Priority Services Register. SSEN said it has 3.9 million customers in total. The support offered through the register can range from a reassuring phone call to a home visit, welfare provisions, or finding alternative accommodation when power supplies are affected for longer periods by severe, particularly damaging storms¹.

SSEN lists the following groups as eligible for its Priority Services Register¹:

SSEN said registered customers can receive regular updates, safety advice, access to a dedicated 24-hour helpline and communication in a format that meets their needs, including large print, Braille, alternative languages or British Sign Language. The operator directs enquiries to ssen.co.uk/priorityservices or its freephone number, 0800 294 3259¹.

Emma Merritt, SSEN Distribution's Customer Vulnerability and Communities Lead, said the company knows from recent storms that being on the register gives many customers extra reassurance and support, but that many more customers across its distribution areas could benefit and are not yet signed up. She asked people to take five minutes to consider whether they, a family member, a loved one or a neighbour could benefit, and to register if so¹.

Why it matters for households

The register is intended for households that may need additional help during a power cut, severe weather or an emergency, and SSEN's account sets out what that help can involve: advance warning of power cuts caused by bad weather or planned work, updates during an incident, and practical support where supplies are out for longer periods¹. One customer, Mrs Millers, who uses a wheelchair and an electric ceiling hoist and whose husband stores medicine in the fridge, said being alerted in advance helps them prepare and feel in control and safe¹.

SSEN's eligibility list covers older people, disabled people, households with children under five and those who rely on electricity for medical equipment. Households can read more about the Priority Services Register: who can join and what it gives, extra help from network operators during long outages and extra help in an emergency for older, disabled and medically dependent households. SSEN's own guidance is that people can register themselves, a family member or a friend by phone or through its website¹. Separate arrangements exist for water supplies, covered in water company priority services, and general signing up is set out in signing up to priority services registers for energy and water.

What happens next

No further dates have been reported. SSEN's published position is that it is asking customers who could benefit, or their relatives and neighbours, to register for the free scheme, and it gives its freephone number and website for that purpose¹. Households preparing for storm-related outages can read storms and the electricity network: what happens and how to get ready and the power cuts hub.