In the wake of Storm Éowyn, approximately 40,000 residents across Scotland faced persistent power outages on Saturday evening, with energy officials predicting a multi-day wait for restoration in some regions.
As reported by Scottish Power, roughly 28,000 of its customers experienced power cuts as of Saturday afternoon, while Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) recorded around 12,000 affected customers by the evening.
Efforts to reconnect the electricity supply have seen SSEN successfully restoring service to about 78,000 customers, while Scottish Power has reinstated power for approximately 192,000 customers, all of whom lost service due to the storm on Friday.
Complications in repair efforts have arisen in certain locales, hampered by continued adverse weather conditions including high winds, snow, and ice, as well as scattered debris, complicating the restoration process.
The Met Office has extended yellow weather warnings across Scotland, indicating potential disruptions due to wind in the northern and western Highlands from Saturday evening through early Sunday morning.
Additionally, warnings for snow and ice have been issued for the far north and west, lasting from Saturday evening until mid-morning Sunday.
Aileen Rourke, Distribution Director for Scottish Power Energy Networks Scotland, described the storm as one of the most severe in decades, noting the extensive damage caused by hurricane-force winds.
“Current challenging conditions are slowing the progress of repairs, particularly in remote areas and for engineers working at height,” Rourke stated. She further emphasized the difficulty of the situation for customers, mentioning ongoing updates about restoration timelines to aid in planning.
Support measures, including hotel accommodations and food vouchers, are being provided where feasible, alongside food trucks in the worst-hit regions.
Meanwhile, the forthcoming Storm Herminia, named after Spanish conventions and expected to hit on Sunday, poses a new threat with its forecast of relentless rain and gusty winds, particularly impacting the south-west.
Although predicted to be less intense than Éowyn, Herminia could exacerbate the situation by impacting already weakened infrastructure.
