Storm Gerrit damages SSEN network in north of Scotland

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution reported that Storm Gerrit damaged its electricity network in the north of Scotland on 27 December 2023, with just over 16,000 properties off supply as of 9.45pm that evening¹. The company said supplies had been restored to almost 25,000 customers by that point, after additional repair teams were mobilised from first thing that morning¹.

SSEN said the weather was more severe than forecast. Sustained storm-force winds moved across Argyll and the southern Highlands before hitting the Angus and Aberdeenshire coasts and inland areas across the north east, with gusts approaching 80mph in coastal areas and stronger gusts on higher ground¹. The company attributed network damage to fallen trees, branches and other debris¹. An earlier update that day, at 4.30pm, put the number off supply at over 18,500, with almost 8,500 restored².

By 10.45am on 28 December, supplies had been restored to more than 34,000 customers, with around 7,700 properties still off supply, including 2,300 customers in Shetland who lost supplies early that morning³. SSEN recorded a wind gust of 83mph in Lerwick, which it said was the strongest the islands had seen in seven years³. The regional breakdown at that point was:

By 8.45pm on 28 December, more than 46,000 customers had been restored, with around 1,500 properties expected to be off supply overnight⁴. SSEN said the last remaining properties were reconnected by 11pm on 29 December, with more than 48,000 properties restored in total⁵. It recorded wind speeds of 86mph in Inverbervie, Aberdeenshire and 84mph in Lerwick⁵.

Andy Smith, Operations Director at SSEN Distribution, said on 27 December:

"Some customers in rural areas where there are multiple points of damage, may be without power until Friday."

SSEN said customers without power for more than 12 hours are entitled to £30 per person for every day without power, to cover food and drink, with receipts retained and costs claimed back¹. Customers on its Priority Services Register can claim reasonable costs for alternative accommodation if they are expected to be without power for over 24 hours, and if a power cut is estimated to last beyond 48 hours, all customers can benefit from that support⁶. For interruptions over 48 hours, customers receive £80, with a further £40 for every subsequent six-hour period off supply, up to a maximum of £2,000, processed automatically without the customer contacting SSEN⁶.

Why it matters for households

A storm of this kind removes the one thing a home cannot store in useful quantity: a continuous supply. The figures show how quickly the position changes. Over 18,500 properties were off supply at 4.30pm on 27 December², just over 16,000 at 9.45pm¹, around 7,700 by mid-morning on 28 December³, and around 1,500 overnight into 29 December⁴. Restoration is not a single event but a sequence of repairs, and rural areas with multiple points of damage wait longest¹.

For a household, the practical consequences are the loss of heating controls, lighting, refrigeration, broadband and any medical equipment reliant on mains power. SSEN contacted over 50,000 customers on its Priority Services Register during the event and made more than 11,000 proactive calls to those customers¹. Eligibility for that register covers households with children under five, people over 60, those with a disability or chronic illness, and those using medical equipment reliant on electricity¹. The SSEN network pages set out how the register and storm response work, and power cuts in Scotland covers support and resilience more broadly.

The compensation figures also matter to household budgets. The £30 per person per day for food and drink applies after 12 hours off supply¹, while the Guaranteed Standards payments of £80 plus £40 per subsequent six-hour period apply after 48 hours⁶. SSEN said these are automatic⁶.

What happens next

SSEN said a further update would be provided on the morning of 28 December¹, and later confirmed all affected customers had been reconnected by 11pm on 29 December⁵. A Met Office yellow warning remained in place for Shetland until 0600 on 28 December¹. SSEN said final fault assessments would be carried out before compensation under the Guaranteed Standards of Performance is processed in the weeks after the event⁶.

Sources6 cited

1. Storm Gerrit – 10:00pm update from SSEN Distribution - SSEN, ssen.co.uk
2. Storm Gerrit – 4:30pm update from SSEN Distribution - SSEN, ssen.co.uk
3. Storm Gerrit – 11:00am update from SSEN Distribution - SSEN, ssen.co.uk
4. Storm Gerrit – 10:00 pm update from SSEN Distribution - SSEN, ssen.co.uk
5. SSEN restores power to communities following Storm Gerrit - SSEN, ssen.co.uk
6. 11:00am update - SSEN’s final push to restore power to customers following Storm Gerrit - SSEN, ssen.co.uk