Dozens of households in Aberdeenshire are facing another day without power as communities continue to feel the effects of Storm Corrie and Storm Malik.
SSEN engineers have been working day and night to restore power to thousands of properties across Northern Scotland after gale force winds caused a widespread blackout.
Wind gusts in excess of 90mph were recorded in Aberdeenshire, tearing down trees and power lines, resulting in the widespread blackout.
Four days on, power has now been restored to more than 120,000 properties.
However, around 50 properties across the north-east remain offline due to a fault on SSEN’s low voltage network.
Engineers and overhead line teams are back out in force as they work to restore power to all remaining homes by the end of the day.
Richard Gough, director of distribution system operations at SSEN, thanked the public for their “patience” as teams battled through “extremely challenging” conditions.
He said: “Conditions have been extremely challenging for our teams, but we are continuing to work throughout today to safely connect the final few homes.
“I would also like to recognise the effort and dedication of SSEN teams and engineers from Distribution Network Operators from across the UK and Ireland who continue to work hard in difficult conditions to restore power safely to communities across the north of Scotland.”
Storm Carrie was second storm of weekend
Storm Corrie was the second storm to batter the north-east at the weekend, following on the coattails of Storm Malik.
An amber weather warning was issued by the Met Office ahead of Storm Corrie, covering the whole of the Highlands and Grampian regions, as forecasters warned of potential disruption and damage.
Banff Academy remains closed to students after the roof of the school was ripped off amidst the gale force winds.
Local authorities and outside contractors have been working around the clock this week to restore order across the north-east.
Clearance works have also been underway across Aberdeenshire to remove fallen trees and debris from the roads network, with motorists being warned to expect emergency road closures.
Community spirit at the heart of the north-east
Amidst the turmoil of the storm, towns and villages across the region have endorsed the true meaning of community spirit, providing food and shelter to those in need.
Aberdeenshire Council is continuing to work in tandem with a range of organisations to support individuals suffering amidst the blackout.
Welfare centres have been set up to provide refreshments to those most affected.
SSEN are also continuing to deploy food vans to the worst affected areas as residents battle to overcome another challenging storm.
Aberdeenshire Council has praised the public for their efforts.
A spokeswoman said: “Aberdeenshire Council and its resilience partners also continue to provide additional support for those affected and we wish to thank all those individuals and community groups who have reached out to those without power and supported them during another challenging storm event.”
Below is a run down of the various services available today across the north-east.
When, where and how can I access support?
SSEN area deploying food vans to the following locations today:
- Aboyne, Near the Huntly Arms Inn
- Ballater, Victoria Square
- Edzell, The Muir Park
- Potterton, Pavilion car park (eta lunchtime)
- Stonehaven, The Square
Meanwhile, all All Live Life Aberdeenshire facilities will be open to the public until 8pm this evening providing hot showers and phone charging points to those without power and water.
The following facilities will be open today:
- Aboyne Swimming Pool and Deeside Community Centre
- Banchory Sports Village
- Deveron Community & Sports Centre
- Ellon Community Campus
- Fraserburgh Community & Sports Centre
- Huntly Swimming Pool
- Inverurie Community Campus
- Mearns Community Campus
- Peterhead Leisure Centre
- Portlethen Pool
- Stonehaven Leisure Centre
- Turriff Sports Centre
- Westhill Swimming Pool
SSEN support for accommodation and meals
For customers without power who need support and are unable to make alternative arrangements to stay with family or a friend, SSEN will reimburse reasonable costs for alternative accommodation.
Customers unable to access welfare facilities and who remain off supply may claim back the cost of meals up to £15 per person. Customers are being asked to keep copies of receipts for any claims.
Private water supplies
Residents that cannot use their private water supply due to a power cut preventing them from drawing or treating water should source bottled water for themselves where possible.
If you are unable to leave their property to source bottled water you should contact the assistance line on 0808 196 3384 between 9am and 5pm for support in obtaining a supply of water.
For urgent requests out of hours, please contact 07342 088 339.
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