About 90,000 properties still without power after Storm Boelo as new wind warnings are issued
Engineers are working to reconnect homes in Scotland and northern England. In Great Britain, households cut off for long periods are owed fixed payments under rules set by the energy regulator.
Around 90,000 properties were still without electricity on Monday morning after Storm Boelo battered Scotland and northern England over the weekend, with gusts of up to 85mph recorded in Scotland, according to the Energy Networks Association, which represents the companies that run the power lines.
The association said high winds were still slowing repairs, because engineers cannot safely replace poles or restring cables until conditions ease.
In the north of Scotland, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks said about 29,000 homes were waiting to be reconnected, while SP Energy Networks put the figure for southern and central Scotland at about 4,500. Northern Ireland Electricity Networks said every property it serves had been reconnected, after around 12,500 lost power at the peak of the storm.
More warnings this week
The Met Office has issued a yellow wind warning from 18:00 on Monday to 03:00 on Tuesday for the west coasts of England, Wales and Scotland and for eastern parts of Northern Ireland. A further yellow warning covers much of Scotland and parts of northern England and Northern Ireland on Tuesday.
Several schools in Aberdeenshire and the Highlands were closed on Monday because of power cuts or damage. Network Rail said the Crianlarich to Oban line and the lines from Inverness to Wick and Thurso were still shut, and ferry operators on the west coast and to the Northern Isles warned of possible cancellations.
What the compensation rules say
In England, Scotland and Wales, network operators must meet guaranteed standards of service set by Ofgem. If they miss them, domestic customers are paid a fixed sum. The payments are made automatically, usually by cheque, so there is no form to fill in.
How much depends on how the operator classifies the storm:
- Normal weather. Homes are owed £100 if power is off for more than 12 hours, or more than 24 hours where over 5,000 properties are affected, plus £45 for each further 12 hours.
- Category 1 severe weather. The first payment of £90 is due after 24 hours, followed by £45 for every extra six hours.
- Category 2 severe weather. The same amounts apply, but only once the cut has lasted 48 hours.
Ofgem says severe weather payments are capped at £2,235.
Operators can also refund reasonable costs once they have formally offered welfare support. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, for example, says it reimburses hot food and drinks and sometimes temporary accommodation, but not the contents of fridges or freezers, and asks for dated receipts within six weeks of supply being restored. The Ofgem scheme does not cover Northern Ireland.
Anyone in Great Britain can report a power cut by calling 105, a free number that connects to the local network operator. Network operators also keep a Priority Services Register for people over state pension age, families with young children and those with disabilities or medical conditions. Ofgem says operators must offer people on it extra help during cuts, such as battery packs for phones or medical equipment, although it does not bring larger payments.
