Good evening

Teams from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution are continuing their final push to restore power to 800 customers who remain off supply following the impact of Storm Henk.

SSEN engineers worked late into the night yesterday and from first light this morning in response to the period of intense storm-force winds and heavy rain, which resulted in damage to the overhead electricity infrastructure in central southern England through fallen trees, branches and other wind-borne debris.

As of 5pm this afternoon, teams from SSEN have restored power to over 57,000 homes and are now focusing efforts on the more challenging faults and complex network repairs that will enable them to restore power to the remaining 800 customers off supply. 

With the assistance of additional technical and support teams to further restoration efforts today, SSEN is targeting restoration of customers throughout this evening. 

Updated estimated restoration times continue to be issued to customers by customer contact teams, and proactive welfare calls are being made to Priority Service Register (PSR) customers.  

As part of the support package for customers impacted by power cuts, people who have had no power for more than 12 hours are entitled to £30 per person for every day without power, to cover the cost of food and drink. People should keep hold of receipts and claim costs back at www.ssen.co.uk/stormclaim   

Once final fault assessments are carried out, any customers impacted for over 24 hours will be entitled to compensation under the regulated Guaranteed Standards of Performance. Customers will receive £80, with a further £40 for every subsequent six-hour period they were off supply. Customers do not need to contact SSEN to request compensation; this is carried out automatically and will be processed as quickly as possible in the weeks after the event.