Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) issued a weather warning for central southern England on 7 March 2023, ahead of strong winds forecast for Monday 13 March. The network operator said its weather model showed the potential for gusts of 60mph in coastal areas through the course of Monday morning and afternoon1.
In preparation, SSEN said it had enacted its resilience plans and increased standby resources in anticipation of possible damage to its network. It also said it was making proactive contact with Priority Service Register customers before the weather arrived1.
"SSEN's current weather model shows the potential for strong winds across the region, with gusts reaching 60mph in coastal areas"
SSEN said its Priority Services Register provides extra help and support during a power cut. It listed the groups eligible for its free priority services1:
| Eligible for SSEN priority services |
|---|
| Deaf or hard of hearing |
| Have a disability |
| Live with children under five |
| Blind or partially sighted |
| Have a chronic illness |
| Use medical equipment or aids reliant on electricity |
| Over 60 |
SSEN directed customers to its emergency power cut number, 105, for reporting loss of supply or damage to the electricity network, and to its Power Track app for details of power cuts and restoration times, which can also be used to report power cuts and network damage. It gave 0800 294 3259 as the number for finding out more about the Priority Services Register1.
Why it matters for households
A forecast of coastal gusts at this strength is a supply-security signal rather than a confirmed outage. SSEN's own wording describes potential damage to its network, and the steps it reported taking, extra standby resources and early contact with priority customers, are preparations rather than reports of faults1.
For a household, the practical exposure is the same whether or not the wind arrives as forecast: electricity supply can be interrupted by damage to overhead lines and other network assets, and restoration depends on the network operator's crews reaching and repairing the fault. SSEN's networks, storms and priority services page sets out how that process works and who qualifies for extra support during a cut.
The households most affected by a cut are those whose dependence on electricity is continuous rather than convenient. SSEN's eligibility list includes people using medical equipment or aids reliant on electricity, and people with a chronic illness, alongside older customers, disabled customers and households with children under five1. For these homes, a supply interruption is a welfare issue as much as a convenience one, which is why the register exists and why SSEN said it was contacting those customers ahead of the weather.
For any home, the resilience question raised by a warning of this kind is how long it could manage without mains supply, and what it relies on that cannot run without it. SSEN's guidance points to reporting and information channels, the 105 number and the Power Track app, rather than to domestic backup power arrangements1. The wider picture of how supply interruptions arise and are managed sits under national supply.
What happens next
SSEN said the strong winds were expected through the course of Monday morning and afternoon on 13 March1. No further dated steps were set out in its warning.