SSEN Distribution moved to Weather Warning status on 30 October 2023 ahead of Storm Ciarán, and escalated to Yellow Alert status the following day, 31 October1. The network operator said the decision to move to Yellow Alert came from increasing certainty about the storm's duration and route, and the potential for damage to the electricity network2.
SSEN's weather modelling showed southerly and south-westerly gusts of up to 70mph along the Hampshire and Sussex coast overnight on Wednesday and throughout Thursday, inland gusts of up to 60mph in Dorset, and gusts in excess of 50mph possible in Berkshire, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire, accompanied by persistent heavy rain2. The earlier Weather Warning notice gave a range of 60 to 70mph for the same coastal areas1.
The operator said it was activating contingency plans and bringing in additional teams, supported by colleagues from its north of Scotland distribution area and contractor partners, to respond to faults and carry out repairs1. Phone teams were bolstered, and SSEN said more than 250,000 customers on its Priority Services Register would be contacted ahead of the storm, with welfare provisions organised for affected areas2.
"SSEN is now activating its well-rehearsed contingency plans and is standing up additional teams to deal with any damage to the network and subsequent faults, which may impact customers' power supplies."
SSEN listed the groups eligible for its Priority Services Register as: 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; or are over 601. It said all priority services are free2. The register contact number given is 0800 294 3259, and the emergency power cut number is 1051.
| Status | Date | Forecast gusts |
|---|---|---|
| Weather Warning | 30 October 2023 | 60 to 70mph Hampshire and Sussex coast; up to 60mph inland Dorset; over 50mph possible Berkshire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire1 |
| Yellow Alert | 31 October 2023 | Up to 70mph Hampshire and Sussex coast; up to 60mph inland Dorset; over 50mph possible Berkshire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire2 |
Why it matters for households
A storm of this strength threatens overhead lines and the poles and wires that carry electricity to individual homes, so the practical risk for a household in the affected areas is a loss of supply, potentially for an extended period if damage is widespread. SSEN's escalation from Weather Warning to Yellow Alert reflects growing confidence in the storm's track rather than a change in the underlying hazard, and the two notices describe broadly the same wind speeds1.
For a home, the consequences turn on how long a cut lasts and what depends on mains power. SSEN's own framing of the Priority Services Register identifies households where a cut is more than an inconvenience: those using medical equipment reliant on electricity, and those with young children or chronic illness1. Registration is free and is handled by the network operator, not by an energy supplier2. SSEN's priority services and storm response arrangements sit within the wider picture of national supply security.
What happens next
SSEN said it would continue to monitor the storm closely as it developed and issue further updates depending on the forecast1, and separately that it would issue regular updates2. No restoration times, fault numbers or confirmed outage totals had been reported at the time of the two notices.