Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said on 9 October 2025 that it had completed the restoration of power to all 90,000 homes that lost electricity during Storm Amy1. The storm, which brought a gust of at least 96mph at low altitude on Tiree and set a new UK record for low pressure in October, damaged power lines at 750 different locations1.
The reconnection effort ran across several days. On Saturday 4 October, power had been restored to more than 33,000 customers, with 42,000 homes still off supply2. By 3:30pm on Sunday 5 October, more than 71,000 customers were back on, with 17,000 homes still to reconnect, most of them in the Highlands3. By 4:30pm on Monday 6 October, 83,000 households had power restored and 4,900 properties remained off supply4.
SSEN said almost 1,000 engineers and tree-cutters cleared access to damage sites, supported by more than 500 people from other network operators and contract partners4. Mobile food vans and local businesses served more than 30,000 free meals across dozens of communities, and the contact centre spoke to more than 21,000 customers, answering calls within one minute on average1. SSEN said 88% of customers were reconnected in line with the times they were initially given1.
Storm Amy was confirmed as a Category 2 Severe Weather Event, which sets the compensation terms. SSEN's Head of Customer Operations for the north of Scotland, Nik Wheeler, said:
"This storm's been one of the most severe in recent memory, but this challenge has been met by one of the largest emergency responses in our long history."
Why it matters for households
A prolonged outage leaves a home without lighting, heating controls, refrigeration, broadband and, for some, medical equipment that depends on mains power. SSEN's figures show how far a single storm can reach: 90,000 homes off supply, faults at 750 locations, and several days before the last properties were reconnected1. For a household, the practical difference between a short interruption and a multi-day one is whether essential loads can keep running. That is the subject covered in the site's backup-power hub, which sets out the options for keeping selected circuits live when the network is down.
SSEN's own support arrangements are separate from any household equipment. Customers without power for more than 12 hours are entitled to £30 per person for every day without power, to cover food and drink, claimed with receipts3. Customers on the Priority Service Register can claim reasonable costs for alternative accommodation if they are without power for more than 24 hours, and if a power cut lasted beyond 48 hours all customers can use this support3. Compensation is governed by Guaranteed Standards of Service set by the regulator, Ofgem3.
Because Storm Amy was confirmed as a Category 2 Severe Weather Event, customers without power for more than 48 hours continuously receive a Guaranteed Standards payment of £85, plus £45 for each continuous 6-hour period without power thereafter3. SSEN said these payments are issued automatically, with no claim or contact needed, and that letters will be sent separately to the cheques3. The site's SSEN: Networks, Storms and Priority Services page covers how the distribution network operator's storm response and priority register work, and the national-supply hub covers the wider picture of supply security.
What happens next
SSEN said all affected customers had been reconnected by 9 October, one day earlier than was the case after Storm Eowyn in January 2025, despite Storm Amy causing 200 more faults1. No further reconnection dates have been reported. SSEN has not reported a deadline for issuing Guaranteed Standards payments or for processing reimbursement claims, and no closing date for claims has been given3.
Sources4 cited
- After all homes are reconnected following Storm Amy, a thank you to our customers - SSEN, ssen.co.uk
- We're co-ordinating a huge response following Storm Amy's destructive 100mph winds - SSEN, ssen.co.uk
- Our massive reconnection operation following Storm Amy continues - SSEN, ssen.co.uk
- Huge operation restores power to thousands more customers in the north of Scotland - SSEN, ssen.co.uk