SSEN issues weather warning for lightning in Highlands and Moray this week
SSEN has moved to Weather Warning Status for the Highlands and Moray ahead of lightning forecasted for Wednesday and Thursday this week.
Lightning is expected over a widespread area, including the Highlands, Argyll, Stirling, Perthshire, Angus, Aberdeenshire and Moray.
SSEN, the company responsible for electricity transmission, warned that the network may be impacted by the forecast lightning.
It said: “We’ve been monitoring the weather system that’s bringing lightning to the north of Scotland for several days now, and we’re preparing for the likelihood of network disruption. We’ve moved to Weather Warning status in the north of Scotland ahead of the extensive, prolonged, lightning forecast for most of Wednesday and Thursday this week.
“This Weather Warning status indicates the likelihood of disruption that this period of severe weather could cause, and the extra measures we’re taking in response.
“The way lightning can affect our electricity distribution network differs from the impacts seen in other storms, where gale-force winds are the principal cause of damage. Restoration times are also generally shorter.
“Much of our network is designed with advanced technology built-in, so that if lightning strikes the infrastructure, it automatically closes down for a brief period of time to allow a series of safety checks to take place. After these are completed, and the integrity of the network is confirmed, supplies will often be re-established at that point and customers may notice only short interruptions to their power supply.
“Severe lightning strikes can also affect the network for longer periods, if actual damage is caused to lines, poles, and equipment in substations and transformers. Fuse replacements on the network may also need to be carried out.
“The way lightning can affect the network means it’s important that customers call us free on 105 or contact us via the PowerTrack website or app, if their power supply remains off for any length of time. Extra call handlers are being brought in to manage an expected increase in the number of customer calls.”
SSEN stated that they are bringing in additional control room teams, preparing supplies of replacement components and putting extra engineering teams on standby.
Text messages issuing help and advice will be sent to customers with vulnerabilities in the areas which could be most affected. Attempts will be made to telephone the most vulnerable.
SSEN continued: “If you see any damage to our equipment, please stay back, don’t touch it, and instead report it to us directly by calling 105, or via our Power Track website. Our engineers will investigate this as soon as possible.”
The network also encouraged users to save their emergency power cut number, 105, to your phone and visiting the ‘Preparing for a power cut’ section on their website.