Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) reported at 4.30pm on 7 February 2023 that electricity supplies had been restored to over 27,000 properties following Storm Otto, while around 16,000 properties remained off supply1.
The areas still affected were mainly concentrated in Aberdeenshire, including parts of Hatton, Huntly, Insch, Maud, Mintlaw, Banchory and surrounding areas, rural Moray and pockets of customers across the Highlands1. SSEN said around 600 field and support staff were working to restore power, with mobile generation used to support restoration efforts1.
The network operator said full restoration would extend into the weekend because of the widespread extent of damage and ongoing difficulty accessing faults caused by fallen trees and road closures, with some customers in rural areas off supply for more than 48 hours1. SSEN said it had proactively contacted over 130,000 customers on its Priority Services Register and was calling those in the highest categories of vulnerability to check on their welfare1.
Mobile food vans were being deployed to the main areas still off supply, coordinated with local resilience partners, with provisions expected to be serving food from around 5pm in Cruden Bay, Huntly, Aberchirder, Hatton, Daviot Village, Craigievar School, Insch, Mintlaw and Maud1. Under SSEN's welfare policy, any customer off supply for longer than 12 hours is entitled to claim up to £30 for food per day, and customers are asked to keep receipts for any claims1.
"Whilst we expect to make significant progress restoring those still off supply throughout the remainder of today and into the evening, due to the widespread and extensive damage caused to our network, alongside ongoing challenges accessing faults due to fallen trees and road closures, some customers will remain off supply for over 48 hours, particularly those in rural locations."
SSEN's free priority services are open to customers who 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 or aids reliant on electricity, are over 60, or temporarily need extra support1. The power cut helpline is 105, and the Priority Services Register can be reached on 0800 294 32591.
Why it matters for households
A power cut of this length affects more than lighting. Homes that rely on electricity for heating controls, hot water, cooking, refrigeration, broadband and phone charging lose all of those at once, and rural properties are the slowest to be reconnected when fallen trees and closed roads block access to faults1. For households with medical equipment dependent on mains power, or with young children or older residents, the loss of supply carries a different order of risk, which is what the Priority Services Register exists to address1.
The £30 per day food payment for outages longer than 12 hours is a statutory welfare provision rather than discretionary goodwill, and it depends on customers keeping receipts1. Households that have registered for priority support are contacted directly during an incident, which is why SSEN's proactive contact with over 130,000 registered customers is a meaningful figure rather than an administrative one1.
Storm Otto also illustrates the limits of what a single household can control. Restoration times depend on network damage and access, not on anything a customer does, so the practical value of backup power lies in covering the hours before a fault is reached, particularly for heating, communications and medical equipment. Households in the affected areas can check restoration estimates through SSEN's Power Track service1.
What happens next
SSEN said its next update would be provided at 10pm on 7 February 20231. The company expected significant progress through the remainder of that day and into the evening, but said full restoration would extend into the weekend, with some rural customers off supply for more than 48 hours1. No further restoration figures beyond the 4.30pm update have been reported.
Sources1 cited
- Storm Otto – 4:30pm update - SSEN, ssen.co.uk