Last of 72,000 homes in Scotland which lost power in Storm Floris reconnected
Power network Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said the storm was 'exceptional' and that its response operation in the north of Scotland was 'comparable to those usually seen in the depths of winter'.
A spokesperson said repairs took longer due to fallen trees and 'the sheer volume of damage to overhead lines caused by this week's destructive winds', and that by 11am on Friday customers who lost power on Monday were 'finally reconnected'.
SSEN said 'record wind speeds and widespread storm-force gusts' caused 'considerable network damage'.
By 9.30pm on Wednesday, SSEN had said there were around 950 homes, mainly in the Highlands, that were still without power as a result of the weather. A total of 71,000 customers had been reconnected by that stage.
Some 7,500 hot meals were provided to people awaiting reconnection, with 1,000 workers being part of the operation to restore power, officials said.
The company thanked customers for their 'patience and understanding', and said 100,000 vulnerable customers were contacted ahead of the storm arriving via text or by phone call.
Storm Floris has been confirmed as a category two severe weather event, which means customers without power for more than 48 hours continuously will receive a guaranteed standards payment of £85, and a subsequent payment of £45 for each continuous six-hour period that they did not have power thereafter.
Andy Smith, SSEN distribution's director of customer operations for the north of Scotland, said: 'Floris was an exceptional storm, which has called for an exceptional response from us – 1,000 people have been working hard to reconnect homes and support customers while a huge volume of network reconstruction has been done in challenging conditions.
'I want to say thank you to everyone who's played their part in this response, both from our own teams, and also those of our contract partners and fellow network operators who've willingly come to support us.
'But as the restoration work draws to a close, I'd particularly like to thank all 72,000 customers whose supplies were interrupted for their patience and understanding while we've worked to rebuild the network as safely and as quickly as we could.
'The kindness shown to our teams working in communities and the support given on social media over the past few days has been very much appreciated.
'Now supplies have been restored, I encourage those who lost power to take a look at the details of compensation that will be provided, and also to make a claim for reimbursement if they qualify.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Bala hotter than Bali' as North Wales swelters in heatwave up to 32C next week
Parts of the UK are likely to reach heatwave criteria in the coming days, the Met Office has warned. By Tuesday, August 12, eastern Wales is set to be sweltering in a scorching 32C. The heat is forecast to begin retreating on Wednesday, introducing fresher conditions later in the week. Areas of Wales may see some 'fairly wet weather ' but it may not last: another hot spell is forecast, potentially starting next weekend. Much of Wales will see some warmth in the first half of the week. But the heat plume is not expected to reach everywhere, leading to some large temperature differences from east to west. READ MORE: A55 updates as lane closures to cause 'long delays throughout the day' after crash READ MORE: HGV driver arrested and four people in hospital after horror A55 crash saw 'major incident' declared While the mercury is forecast to reach 32C - and possibly 33C - in places like Wrexham and Welshpool, the Met Office expects Holyhead on Anglesey to be 9C cooler on Tuesday. Temperatures in St David's, Pembrokeshire, are forecast to peak at 21C. But many western coasts will still see highs of 24C-26C. Further east, and along the North Wales coast, temperatures are set to climb higher. Bala, for example, is set to be a degree or two warmer than Bali in Indonesia, according to the Met Office. The forecaster is currently expecting the following peak temperatures for Tuesday - though the Met Office says they could be a degree or two higher. Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community Wrexham: 32C Welshpool: 32C Hawarden: 31C Ruthin: 30C Connah's Quay: 30C Flint: 30C Mold: 31C Denbigh: 29C Bala: 28C Rhyl: 28C Betws-y-Coed: 28C Prestatyn: 28C Colwyn Bay: 27C Llandudno: 26C Caernarfon: 26C Porthmadog: 26C Bangor: 26C Dolgellau: 26C Barmouth: 26C Pwllheli: 25C Llangefni: 25C Holyhead: 23C The heat will start building today (Sunday, August 10), peaking at 25C in east Wales as the warm front starts moving in. Highs of 27C are forecast for Monday, again in east Wales, but it will be warming up in most places. Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Tom Crabtree said temperatures are likely to peak towards the mid-30Cs in London on Tuesday. He said parts of Britain will probably reach heatwave criteria by midweek. In Wales, this means hitting 25C on three successive days. In London, it's 28C. He explained: 'Warmth is the focus in the forecast in the first half of this week, with temperatures likely to peak on Tuesday around the mid-30s, but remaining above average in the second half of the week, particularly further to the southeast. 'The exception to the widely warm conditions will be northwest Scotland on Monday, where showers will be more frequent. Warmth will develop there from Tuesday with temperatures peaking in the mid to high 20s.' The Met Office warned of warm nights ahead and said there was even a chance of a 'tropical night' in a few places. This is where temperatures fail to drop below 20°C overnight. Rain and thunder With temperatures rising, the Met Office said thundery rain is possible in the week. Mr Crabtree said these are more likely in southern and western areas of Britain on Monday evening, spreading north and east through the night. But he added: 'This will be fairly hit-and-miss and for many the weather will be a dry and warm day.' Heavier showers may arrive later in the week. Mr Crabtree said: 'While there's a fair degree of uncertainty at this range, the main signal for more frequent thundery showers arrives from the south late on Wednesday and into Thursday. 'The risk of showers spreads north and west on Thursday, potentially bringing some fairly wet weather to Scotland, northwest England and parts of Wales through the day.' Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Another heatwave? Into next weekend, the Met Office said the 'most likely scenario' is for high pressure to influence the UK's weather, with mainly dry conditions and sunny spells. There could however still be some isolated thunderstorms, most likely in the south. Some weather models show the heat building back again on Saturday, August 16, and continuing for a four-day spell, peaking at 31C in English border counties. The Met Office expects England in particular to be warm. In its medium-range UK forecast (Thursday, August 14, to Saturday, August 23), the forecaster said: 'Showers will tend to ease through the early part of the period as high pressure builds. 'Much of England could still see warm or very warm temperatures for at least a couple of days and there is a possibility that the heat could last further into the week, especially in the south. 'Beyond this, high pressure will likely continue to build from the Atlantic leading to plenty of fine weather with perhaps the odd heavy shower or thunderstorm. 'Meanwhile a rather more changeable and breezier theme will continue further to the north but it may become increasingly settled. Temperatures will probably continue to be above normal.' Find the weather forecast where you live
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Temperatures set to exceed 30C in York amid yellow heat alert
Temperatures are set to exceed 30C in York next week as a yellow heat alert remains in place for the region. Highs of 31C are forecast for Tuesday (August 12) with the Met Office predicting wall-to-wall sunshine throughout the day. Temperatures are expected to fall to between 24C and 26C on Wednesday and stay around 25C later in the week and into the weekend. The UK Health Security Agency has issued a yellow heat health alert from 12pm on Monday until 6pm on Wednesday covering Yorkshire and the Humber. People enjoy the sun in King's Staith, York, on Sunday (August 10) as highs of 31C are forecast for next week (Image: Newsquest) There could be a significant impact across health and social care services, including the potential for a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. Meanwhile, the Met Office has said temperatures could reach the mid-30s across central, southern and eastern areas of England in the coming days, and another heatwave is possible in some areas. People enjoy the sun in Museum Gardens, York, on Sunday (August 10) as highs of 31C are forecast for next week (Image: Newsquest) The heatwave threshold is met when a location records at least three consecutive days with maximum temperatures exceeding a designated value, according to the Met Office. This is 25C for most of the UK, but rises to 28C in London and its surrounding area, where temperatures are typically higher. Read next: Weekend walk: enjoy a riverside walk and superb views on this route 'This will end in chaos' - York woman hits out after getting wheelie bin Secret North Yorkshire beach cove is 'real hidden gem' - have you discovered it? Tom Morgan, meteorologist at the Met Office, said: '[There is] definitely a north-south split in the weather [on Monday]. 'Quite cloudy across Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England, the rain tending to come and go, but most persistent in western Scotland. 'Otherwise, England and Wales seeing mostly sunny skies, although there will be more in the way of high level cloud out there compared to on Sunday, so the sunshine [will be] hazy at times.'
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Walker and 35kg injured Husky rescued from Lake District mountain
Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) were called out late on Saturday evening, August 9, to assist a lone walker and his injured dog on steep ground near Burnmoor Tarn. The incident began at 21:27 after Cumbria Police received a call from the walker, who was descending from Scafell summit. He had been carrying his 35kg Husky, Prince, since the summit of Slight Side earlier in the day after the dog cut his paws and was unable to continue. Prince the husky in a stretcher (Image: Wasdale MRT) The owner, already exhausted after a long day on the fells, found himself stumbling on difficult terrain and recognised that he and Prince would be unable to reach the valley floor safely without assistance. The Wasdale MRT Team Leader initiated a full callout, with 11 team members making their way towards Burnmoor Tarn in dry, clear but cool conditions. The walker continued to descend slowly until rescuers reached him. Read more Mountain rescue called to remote fly campsite Ancient Lake District fishing village among best places in UK for a holiday let 'Handsome market town' in Cumbria among best UK spots for foodies Prince was described as 'as good as gold' and was happy to be placed on a stretcher for the carry back to Brackenclose, receiving plenty of attention from team members along the way. The rescue concluded at 03:25 on Sunday morning, August 10, after almost six hours of operation by the Mountain Rescue Team. A spokesperson for Wasdale MRT said they hoped Prince's paws would heal quickly and that his owner had not suffered any lasting effects from the ordeal. Wasdale MRT remind all walkers to plan ahead, consider their dog's fitness and paw protection on rocky terrain, and not to hesitate in calling for help if safety becomes a concern.
