TENS of thousands of Scots are without power in the wake of Storm Arwen.
As the temperatures drop following the storm, a yellow weather warning for snow and ice remains in place.
After the storm caused a power outage to more than 100,000 homes, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) has said that power was restored to 63,000 customers as at 8pm on Saturday evening, while around 52,000 customers currently remain off supply.
The areas mainly affected are Aboyne, Ballater, Glenshee, Kemnay, Whitehouse, Mossat, Strathdon and parts of rural Moray.
Some customers in Bonskeid, Coshieville, Errol, Gleneagles, Killin, Maryton, Milnathort, Redgorton, and Turriff have been warned that their energy supply is likely to remain off overnight.
A rest centre has been established in Ballater at the Victoria and Albert Hall to provide welfare support for customers who remain off supply in surrounding areas and a hot food van is also being provided, serving meals until 10pm and breakfast from 7am.
#StormArwen - 8pm Update
— ssencommunity (@ssencommunity) November 27, 2021
Good progress has been made throughout today, with power restored to 63,000 customers as of 8pm.
52,000 customers currently remain off supply as we remain at red alert status for our north of Scotland area.
Read more: https://t.co/OxX6Kdc3wP pic.twitter.com/DEkS0IZAGL
Mark Rough, Director of Customer Operations at SSEN, said: “Whilst our teams have made good progress in challenging conditions following yesterday’s extreme weather event, given the scale of the damage we want to give notice to the customers and communities who will unfortunately remain off supply overnight so that alternative arrangements can be made.
“We continue to liaise closely with local resilience partners to co-ordinate support, particularly to those on our Priority Service Register, as we enact established resilience plans and provide welfare support to the communities who will remain off supply.
“We would like to apologise once again to all customers who have been impacted by Storm Arwen and thank our customers for their continued patience and understanding. We would also like to thank our resilience partners for supporting a multi-agency response to what has been one of the most significant weather events we have experienced in decades.
“Our teams of engineers and field staff will continue to work into the night and be back out from first light tomorrow to continue repair and restoration efforts as we do all we can to restore power to those who remain off supply as soon as possible.”
Additional resources have been deployed to the main areas affected to support restoration efforts which includes teams from SSEN’s central southern England network.
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