Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution has raised its warning levels ahead of Storm Isha, which will bring very strong winds to our two network areas in central southern England and the north of Scotland on Sunday night (21 January) and into Monday.
SSEN has now moved to Yellow Alert status for central southern England. Our current weather model for this region shows south-westerly gusts increasing in strength during the second half of Sunday, with peak gusts of 60-65 mph expected between 2100 on Sunday night and 0300 on Monday morning. Thereafter speeds will drop, but high winds will persist into the Monday morning rush hour.
Storm Isha will also bring strong winds to the north of Scotland; an SSEN Weather Warning is now in effect for this area. Widespread gusts of up to 60mph are likely, with some 70mph gusts forecast for the coasts and exposed areas.
The Met Office now has its own warnings in place Storm Isha. More details can be found here.
SSEN has been monitoring this weather system for several days, and we have already activated our well-rehearsed contingency plans. We are bringing in extra teams to deal with any damage to the network and subsequent faults, which may interrupt customers’ power supplies. Our team that responds to customer calls and inquiries is also being bolstered in preparation for the storm’s arrival.
We will now be getting in touch with almost 250,000 of our more vulnerable customers who live in the Yellow Alert area in central southern England to offer them tailored help and advice.
We will continue to watch this storm closely as it develops, and we will issue further updates depending on the forecast.
If you see any damage to our equipment, please stay back, don’t touch it and instead report it to us directly by calling 105, or via our Power Track website, and our engineers will investigate as soon as possible.
We encourage our customers to be prepared for the possibility of disruption to supplies by:
- Saving the emergency power cut number - '105' - to your phone to report any loss of supply or damage to the electricity network
- Visiting our Power Track Website to give you details of power cuts and restoration times. You can also report power cuts and network damage through Power Track.
- Visiting the "Preparing for a power cut" section on our website, where there is a wealth of advice and information, or to chat live to one of our advisors via the Webchat service
Customers are also eligible for our Priority Services Register (PSR) if they:
- 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/aids reliant on electricity
- Are over 60.
To find out more about the PSR, click here or call 0800 294 3259.
How to get prepared
In preparation for any potential power cuts, we are encouraging our customers to save the emergency power cut number 105 and to follow us on Facebook and Twitter (ssencommunity) for regular updates.
-
Register for extra support during a power cut
Priority Services Register
We all rely on electricity day to day for various things, but for some, a power cut can be worrying or difficult. That’s why we offer extra help and support during a power cut. Registering for our Priority Services helps us to help you when you need it most. All our priority services are free. -
View our tips and advice to help you during a power cut
Preparing for a power cut
With bad weather on the way, we've put together some helpful tips and advice to help you during a power cut. You can also download our useful resources to share with your family and neighbours. -
Report a power cut or damage to our network through our map
Power Track
You can stay updated and track the progress of any faults in your area on our Power Track map or report damage to our network. You can also follow the progress of planned interruptions as well as find the nearest EV charge point if you have an electric vehicle that needs charging during a power cut.