logo
Storm Floris: 22,000 properties without power across Scotland

Storm Floris: 22,000 properties without power across Scotland

The National04-08-2025
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said it is working to restore power to 22,500 properties while more are expected to be impacted later in the day.
SSEN is the network operator for the north of Scotland.
The company says it has hundreds of extra staff working but it may not be able to reconnect everyone by the end of the day.
The reports come as around 10,000 homes in Ireland are without power after Storm Floris brought strong winds to the island.
READ MORE: See the full list of bridges closed in Scotland as gust speeds increase
SSEN's director of customer operations for the north of Scotland, Andy Smith, said: 'Storm Floris is a relatively rare summer storm, and the weather forecast suggests it'll have the potential to cause significant disruption to power supplies throughout today, and into the early hours of Tuesday.
"Its severity has increased over the several days we've been monitoring it, and over the course of the weekend we put in place our well-rehearsed storm plans."
He added: 'We've got hundreds of additional team members ready to support our response. As soon as it's safe to do so, they'll quickly set about repairing network damage. At the height of summer, we've mounted an operation that's comparable in size to those we have when a storm hits in the depths of winter, and I want to reassure our customers we're well prepared to respond to whatever Storm Floris brings.
'Please remember you can report faults to us by calling 105 at any time, or via the PowerTrackwebsite or app.'
What rights do I have as a consumer if I have a power cut?
Scots should 'know their rights' as Storm Floris triggers a wave of disruption across the country today, according to a leading charity.
Advice Direct Scotland has issued information for those affected, as the storm brings unseasonably strong winds and cancellations across the transport network.
The charity told the public that if you lose electricity due to a storm, compensation varies depending on the storm's category. Storm Floris will likely be classed as a Category 1 or Category 2 event.
If the storm is Category 2 and you are without power for 48 hours:
Initial compensation would be £80, with an additional £40 for every six hours without power, up to a maximum of £2000.
For gas cuts, consumers might be entitled to compensation if the supply is cut off for more than 24 hours, receiving £60 after the first 24 hours and another £60 for each following 24-hour period.
According to Advice Direct Scotland, the gas network operator should contact consumers directly, but no compensation will be given if more than 30,000 homes were affected, the consumer caused the cut-off, or the operator took reasonable steps to prevent it.
Conor Forbes, policy director at Advice Direct Scotland, said: 'Storm Floris is causing serious disruption across Scotland. We recognise the anxiety and uncertainty this brings to many households, and it is important that people know their rights.
'Our teams are on hand to offer free, impartial advice to anyone affected, whether it's power outages, travel cancellations or damage to property.
READ MORE: Storm Floris Live: Latest warnings, transport cancellations and road closures
'We can help people understand their rights, access compensation, and find practical support quickly.
'We urge anyone impacted to reach out via our helplines, website or social media channels. Whether you're dealing with energy supply issues, insurance claims or service interruptions, we're here to guide you through it.
'Storms like Floris test our resilience, but no one should face these challenges alone. Your wellbeing is our priority, and we're committed to helping communities stay safe, informed and supported every step of the way.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Britain has a wind problem
Britain has a wind problem

Spectator

timea day ago

  • Spectator

Britain has a wind problem

Climate change is giving Britain more violent weather, with ever-increasing storms tearing down our trees and whipping up waves which erode our coastlines. No one ever seems to get into trouble for saying the above – as many did yet again during Storm Floris last week – in spite of it being the inverse of the truth. Actually, Britain has been experiencing a downwards trend in average and extreme wind speeds for the past four decades. One place where they won't be making that mistake, though, is the boardroom at German energy company RWE, which became the second wind company this week to report some financial disappointment – after Danish wind company Orsted announced a rights issue to fund offshore wind projects. RWE's profit fell by a quarter in the first half of this year, which it blamed on low wind speeds. I don't usually have a lot of time for companies which try to blame lousy results on the weather, but in this case you can see RWE's point by looking at the weather charts. Floris aside (and even she failed to live up to dire warnings) northern Europe has spent much of this year under becalmed, anticyclonic conditions. When the wind does blow, your wind turbines can't turn, hence the falling profits. Falling wind speeds – both in Britain and around most of the world – is the climatic trend we hear little about because it doesn't fit in with the general alarmist message. We have plenty of scientists spewing out projections of increased deaths from heatwaves or trying to calculate the cost of increased rainfall – which has risen by around 10 per cent in the past 60 years. But I have yet to see a single study which seeks to quantify how much damage has been averted because winds have been less strong in recent years than they were when the country was rocked by the Great Storm of 1987 and the Burns' Day storm of 1990. Generally, a trend towards lower wind speeds is benign. But it is something of an obvious problem when you are trying to build an energy system around wind power, as Britain is doing. Yet there is little sign it has entered Ed Miliband's head that he is trying to tap into a declining resource. The consequences certainly are dawning, however, at wind energy companies which – hit by rising costs as well as falling wind speeds – are demanding ever higher subsidised prices in order to build their plants. The German government has just failed to attract a single bid in its latest round of auctions to build wind farms in the North Sea. The same fate may well face Miliband's latest auction, AR7, which starts this month. This is even though the government has increased the maximum level of 'strike price' – a guaranteed price which rises with inflation for the next 15 years – to £113 million per megawatt-hour, nearly three times what was on offer three years ago. Besides the general fall in wind speeds, developers also have to take into account a localised phenomenon where wind turbines 'steal' the wind from other turbines which lie in their lee. The more crowded the North Sea becomes with wind turbines, the more acute this phenomenon will become. Green activists like to talk about the world reaching 'peak oil' – an event which keeps advancing into the future – but maybe we are already past the point of peak wind. At least Miliband can satisfy himself that his solar farms are having a good year, and indeed a good decade. Another climate trend which tends to be under-reported is Britain's increasing sunshine hours. Solar power is not a great solution to Britain's energy problems because of the unfailing tendency of its output to fall to zero when energy demand is at its highest, on winter evenings, but you only have to have been looking out of the window to realise that solar, unlike wind, is going to have a bumper year in Britain. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a hedge fund out there which is going to make a killing by short-selling wind farms and going long on solar farms.

Tropical Storm Erin: Met Office gives verdict on how UK weather will be impacted
Tropical Storm Erin: Met Office gives verdict on how UK weather will be impacted

Daily Mirror

time2 days ago

  • Daily Mirror

Tropical Storm Erin: Met Office gives verdict on how UK weather will be impacted

Brits may have to pull out their rain coats and umbrellas later this month - despite being August - as a deadly storm over the Atlantic could have repercussions in the UK The UK could be set for some unseasonable weather thanks to a tropical storm making its way over the Atlantic. ‌ Storm Erin has so far swept across Cape Verde, where a state of emergency has been declared on the islands of São Vicente and Santo Antão after nine people were killed and around 1,500 forced to evacuate their homes. ‌ The National Hurricane Centre has warned people to be ready for the westward-moving winds that could reach the Leeward Islands, Bermuda or the east coast of the US. Now, the Met Office has suggested that the deadly storm could have a big say on weather conditions for us in the latter part of August. It comes as the Met Office tells Brits in 38 areas to prepare 'emergency' kit with three items. ‌ According to the forecaster's long-range predictions between Tuesday August 19 and Thursday 28, there is the likelihood of increased wind and rain on the horizon. This could turn thundery for southern and western parts of the UK. The Met Office explained: "The details during this period carry low confidence. High pressure will probably be increasingly displaced to the north through the first part of this period, allowing areas of low pressure to potentially make inroads from the Atlantic. This brings an increasing possibility of stronger winds and rain, some of which could be heavy and thundery, especially for southern and western areas, but this perhaps becoming more widespread with time. "Overall, temperatures look to remain above average, with the potential for some further hot spells, especially in the south. One of the determining factors of the forecast through this period will be the behaviour of what is currently Tropical Storm Erin as it progresses into the North Atlantic; this being a quite typical source of uncertainty in late summer." The forecaster further said in its blog posted today that weather predictions will become more vague from Monday due to what's happening across the Atlantic. It wrote: "Beyond Monday, the forecast becomes more uncertain, largely due to developments in the Atlantic. Tropical storm Erin is currently moving towards the United States, and its eventual path could influence UK weather. ‌ "It's not uncommon for tropical systems at this time of year to be picked up by the jet stream. Recent examples include Storm Floris and ex-tropical storm Dexter. The impact on the UK depends on where these systems sit relative to the jet stream, on the cooler, low-pressure side. "They can bring wet and windy weather; on the warmer, high-pressure side, they may remain offshore and contribute to warmer conditions. Sometimes the jet stream flows in a relatively straight path, much like a fast-moving river. "At other times, it meanders and loops, slowing down the movement of weather systems and making their paths less predictable. These meanders can lead to prolonged periods of wet or dry weather, depending on where the jet stream is positioned." ‌ Meanwhile, the UK has been hit with a couple of yellow weather warnings this evening as 11 areas have been told they might need to prepare an emergency kit. The Met Office issued the warnings for parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland and are expected to stay in place until 10pm. A warning was issued for the east of Scotland include these eight areas: Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Highland, Angus, Perth and Kinross, Fife, and Dundee. While the warnings in the east of Northern Ireland warning include: County Antrim, County Armagh and County Down. They have also been warned that flooding of homes and businesses could happen quickly in these locations, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds possible. The forecaster said: "There is a small chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life." It added: "Where flooding occurs, there is a chance of delays or cancellations to train and bus services." The warnings also suggest preparing an "emergency" flood kit with "torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items."

Exact time 'danger to life' thunderstorm warning will end for Scotland
Exact time 'danger to life' thunderstorm warning will end for Scotland

Daily Record

time3 days ago

  • Daily Record

Exact time 'danger to life' thunderstorm warning will end for Scotland

Scots are currently in the middle of a two-day bout of thunderstorms and searing heat. It's safe to say that the weather in Scotland has been all over the place lately, after the chaos brought on by Storm Floris last week was followed by what seemed like the start of a heatwave, with some areas seeing searing temperatures of 28C. But our hopes of a few beach days came crashing down on Wednesday, August 13, when the Met Office issued widespread yellow warnings for thunderstorms, which the forecaster said could even pose a small "danger to life" risk. ‌ The initial of two alerts for thunderstorms was issued for most of Scotland from 2pm yesterday and lasted until midnight. It stretched all the way from the Borders to Orkney, encompassing most of the country. Very few areas, including the south-west of Scotland as well as some parts of the west coast and a small stretch of land in the north east around Aberdeen managed to avoid yesterday's thundery spell. ‌ But as this first warning ended, another second yellow warning came into place at midnight, which covers the entire country, stretching hundreds of miles up to the top of Shetland on Thursday, August 14. Difficult driving conditions, some power cuts and delays to public transport should be expected today, with sudden flooding also possible. ‌ Damage to buildings from floodwater could also occur, according to the forecaster. And the Met Office has said that deep or fast flowing floodwater could pose a "danger to life" in the worst-hit areas. But when will this latest bout of wild weather come to an end? The current yellow thunderstorm warning is due to end at 10pm tonight, when the worst of the weather is due to fizzle out. The Met Office said as it issued the warning: "This spell of hot weather is part of a broader heatwave event, which has brought very warm and humid conditions to many areas over recent days. ‌ "However, heat is now giving way to increasing instability in Scotland, with a growing risk of thunderstorms. "Thursday will see residual showers and isolated thunderstorms across the southeast gradually clearing. Across Scotland and possibly parts of northeast England, further thunderstorms could bring heavy rain, hail and lightning, drifting north into the Northern Isles. ‌ "Some heavy morning downpours are likely, followed by slow-moving showers and thunderstorms through the afternoon and evening across central and eastern Scotland. "A yellow warning for thunderstorms will be issued from midnight to 10pm on Thursday, covering Scotland and Northern Ireland." ‌ This latest spell of erratic weather follows the chaos brought by Storm Floris last Monday, August 4. Homes across Scotland lost power during the severe amber wind warning which was in place for most of the day. But the Met Office has warned that extreme weather, including abnormally warm temperatures and increased rainfall is to become more common in the UK due to human-induced climate change. Storms and severe weather will only be the 'new normal' from now on, the forecaster stated recently. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store