Storm Boelo left tens of thousands of Scottish households without electricity over the weekend, and affected customers may be entitled to compensation of up to £2,235 under Ofgem rules.
Engineers from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) worked to restore power across the country after an amber weather warning on October 25. At 7pm on Sunday, 38,000 customers were still without power, while 54,000 had been reconnected. SP Energy Networks (SPEN) reported around 4,500 properties still without power at 7:45pm that evening.
Further warnings and ongoing disruption
A fresh yellow wind warning has been issued by the Met Office for parts of Strathclyde and south west Scotland from 6pm on October 26. This extends into an existing yellow warning for Tuesday (October 27), which is expected to bring gusts of up to 70mph to parts of Scotland.
The national forecaster has warned of a small chance of "danger to life" and said the conditions could cause further power outages.
How to report a power cut
Customers facing an unplanned power cut can report it directly to their local network operator via their website, or call 105 for free to be put through to the operator.
Compensation rules for severe weather
Ofgem uses two storm categories to decide compensation for power cuts during severe weather, based on how the storm affected the electricity network and how many faults occurred in a high-voltage area in one day.
Storm category one covers unusually bad weather causing between eight and 13 times more faults than normal, which must be fixed within 24 hours. Customers can get £90 for the first 24 hours and an extra £45 for every six hours after.
Storm category two covers severe weather causing at least 13 times more faults than normal, which must be fixed within 48 hours. Compensation is £90 for the first 48 hours and an extra £45 for every six hours after. Storm Boelo could fall into either category as some areas experienced more outages than others.
Ofgem notes that the maximum amount customers can claim for both categories is £2,235.
Gas supply and payment details
For unplanned gas cuts, home customers can claim £70 for every 24 hours their supply is off, with the amount increasing depending on how long the outage lasts. Businesses can claim £120.
Customers do not need to make a claim. Network operators will automatically pay compensation if they hold bank details, or it may be delivered by cheque or cash. Alternatively, payment can be made through an energy supplier, with money added to an energy account or prepayment meter.
