Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said its engineers worked throughout 13 March 2023 to restore power to around 8,500 customers affected by high winds inland and across coastal regions of its central southern England network. The company said it would continue to work through the evening to restore the handful of customers who remained without power1.
SSEN said wind gusts reached up to 55mph in places, and that it had already set out additional resources in areas it knew might be most affected. Eliane Algaard, Director of Customer Operations, said the company had enacted its resilience plans in response to a forecast of unsettled conditions1.
"I would encourage anyone who is concerned about potential disruption to supplies during adverse weather, particularly those who may need extra support during a power cut, to find out about our Priority Services Register or to call us on 105 where our dedicated teams are available to help, 24 hours a day."
SSEN listed the groups eligible for its free Priority Services Register as customers who 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 60. The company gave the number for the register as 0800 294 32591.
SSEN also reminded customers they can prepare for possible disruption by saving the emergency power cut number, 105, to their phone for use if power goes off or if they see damage to the electricity network; by visiting its Power Track website or app for details of power cuts and restoration times and to report cuts and network damage; and by following SSEN on Facebook and Twitter for updates1. The site's guides explain how long restoration can take, what happens to the network in storms and how to report a loss of electricity on 105.
Why it matters for households
The outage affected around 8,500 SSEN customers in central southern England, inland and along coastal regions, on 13 March 2023. By the evening of the same day only a handful remained off supply, according to the company1. Households that depend on electricity for medical equipment, or that include people in the groups listed above, can join SSEN's free Priority Services Register, which the company says provides extra assistance during a power cut1. SSEN directs customers concerned about disruption to call 105, which it says is staffed 24 hours a day1. The site's guide to the Priority Services Register sets out who can join and what it provides, and a separate guide covers whether gas central heating works without electricity.
What happens next
SSEN said it would continue working through the evening of 13 March 2023 to restore the remaining customers1. No further dates were given in the announcement.
How Long Until Power Returns
Storms and the Electricity Grid
Reporting a Power Cut
