Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) and Home Energy Scotland (HES) have joined forces to help customers who may be at risk during power cuts.
SSEN owns and manages the electricity distribution and transmission networks that carry electricity to over 3.7 million homes and businesses across the north of the Central Belt of Scotland and also Central Southern England. Home Energy Scotland is the Scottish Government-funded network of local advice centres covering the length and breadth of Scotland. Their advisors offer free, impartial advice on energy saving, renewable energy, sustainable transport, waste prevention and more.
Together SSEN and HES are uniquely positioned to promote the help customers can access, so when people call Home Energy Scotland, Scotland's energy efficiency advice line, HES will now offer extra help by highlighting the free support Scottish and Southern Electricity Networkscan provide during a power cut and arrange for an SSEN Priority Service specialist to call customers back.
Home Energy Scotland's teams are now actively discussing the benefits of the Priority Services Register (PSR) with their customers and arranging for SSEN's dedicated Priority Services team to call back those who may be eligible.
Julie Walker, Social Obligations Manager for SSEN, said: "We are delighted to partner with Home Energy Scotland to ensure our customers are receiving the help and support they need. The PSR is UK-wide and free to join for anyone who may need extra support during a power cut. This could be anything from reassuring calls or texts to keep customers informed; a dedicated team with a Freephone number to provide assistance; through to adapted services and even emergency generation for customers who rely on electrically-powered medical equipment."
"Joining the Priority Services Register is free and can help customers in many ways including advance notice of a planned interruption to their electricity supply, and additional support during a power cut."
Ross Barrow, Stakeholder Relations Officer for HES, said: "The Home Energy Scotland advisors are very proud of the advice they provide that helps people save money and keep warm across Scotland. Helping keep people safe in their homes during a power cut seems an obvious, and very worthwhile, additional service for us to promote in collaboration with SSEN.
"From 21 August 2017 we've been giving details to those who may be eligible for the Priority Services Register so they can understand more about the benefits and arrange for a specialist SSEN advisor to call them back with more information."
SSEN's customers can join the PSR if they are dependent on electricity for home medical care; have a chronic illness or short term medical needs; are disabled; have special communication needs; are over the age of 60; have a child under the age of five at home or for any other reason feel they may need extra support during a power cut.
For more information on SSEN's Priority Services Register, please visitssen.co.uk/PriorityServices, or to register call 0800 294 3259 or 0800 316 5457 to register using a text phone.
The PSR is UK-wide and can be joined through your energy supplier or network operator. If you are not a customer living in SSEN's distribution area, please visit ssen.co.uk/whoismynetworkoperator to find out who to contact, or speak to your energy supplier for more information.
Home Energy Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by the Energy Saving Trust in Scotland. Its network of advice centres offers free, impartial and specialist advice to help households stay warm and save money. Home Energy Scotland works with individuals, organisations and communities; to speak to an advisor today call free on 0808 808 2282.