Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution has set out five projects it would carry out if Ofgem grants dedicated funding for further improvements to its storm response, in a submission to the regulator published on 7 February 2024. The application follows a review by Ofgem of how electricity networks responded to Storm Arwen in late 2021, after which the regulator invited funding applications1.
SSEN said the £10m set of proposed projects would focus on making its network more resilient to severe weather and equipping it with more tools to restore supply after a storm. The company stated that in the summer of 2022 it committed funding to further strengthen network and community resilience, and that this money has already had a tangible benefit on the robustness of the network during extreme weather1.
"In the summer of 2022, we committed funding to further strengthen network and community resilience"
The five projects and their proposed costs are:
| Project | Proposed cost | Stated purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Restoring Overhead Line Resilience | £2.1m | More tree-harvesting at certain sites in the north of Scotland, where overhead lines were affected by trees blown over during Storm Arwen |
| HV Feeder monitoring | £6.7m | Monitoring devices on High Voltage and Extra High Voltage networks to locate faults more accurately |
| Wood Pole Condition Assessment tools | £1m | Smart tools for teams to assess the condition of wooden poles, including before climbing |
| Satellite communication systems | £0.7m | A pilot using direct satellite connections for communications in remote areas and where mobile masts are affected |
| Cross DNO interconnection | £0.1m | Connection points between SSEN's network and SP Energy Networks' licence area, so customers can be kept on supply across the boundary |
SSEN said the satellite pilot might also have the potential to support customers' welfare during storms, by providing those without power with a connection so they can keep in touch with family and friends. On the interconnection project, it said the work is focused on specific sites where there is benefit to both communities and could be adopted at relatively low cost1.
SSEN also published a summary of redactions to its main Storm Arwen re-opener document, stating that some information is commercially sensitive, confidential, or presents a security risk if published1.
Why it matters for households
For homes supplied by SSEN's distribution network, the proposals bear on how quickly supply is restored after severe weather and how well the network withstands it. Fault-finding devices and pole assessment tools are aimed at shortening the time between a fault occurring and teams reaching the right location, while tree-harvesting work addresses a specific cause of damage seen during Storm Arwen. The interconnection project is the only element framed around keeping customers on supply during a storm rather than restoring them afterwards, and it applies only to sites near the boundary with SP Energy Networks' area. The satellite pilot concerns communications rather than supply itself, though SSEN raises the possibility of welfare benefits for households left without power. None of the projects is funded at this stage; the application is with Ofgem. Households on other networks are not covered by these proposals. Details of how the summer 2022 funding was spent, and its amount, have not been reported in the material published alongside this application.
What happens next
The projects depend on Ofgem granting the funding SSEN has applied for. Ofgem invited the applications following its review of network responses to Storm Arwen. SSEN has not stated in this announcement when the regulator is expected to decide, and no decision date has been reported.