SSEN gives battery packs to Scottish households ahead of winter storms in UK first

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution has issued the kit to assist residents during potential power cuts during future storms.

The company started handing out the battery packs this year to prepare thousands ahead of this winter. So far, 2,456 portable batteries have been given to customers who could be particularly at risk if electricity supplies are interrupted with some 11,000 offered the kit. SSEN said it hopes to distribute a total of 20,000 battery packs by spring 2028.

The devices can be used to charge essential items including mobile phones, tablets and laptops, as well as providing power for lighting, broadband routers and some medical equipment, subject to manufacturers' approval.

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SSEN said the initiative is intended to bring more protection to rural households as storms and bouts of extreme weather are forecast to become more frequent.

One recipient, Warren Mitchell, from Conon Bridge, just north of Inverness, said the kit had already proved its worth when Storm Boelo struck last month.

“When I lost power, I alternated the battery with several items, and by the time the lights came back on, around 85% of the charge was remaining,” he said.

The ability to keep mobile phones charged was particularly important, he said, given the household lacks a traditional landline, and he needed to be able to receive updates from SSEN about when electricity would be restored.

Eliane Algaard, SSEN Distribution's services director, said the batteries would provide additional reassurance to thousands of customers going into winter.

“While we do all we can to run a network where power cuts are very rare occurrences, in our increasingly volatile climate they are nevertheless a reality,” she said.

“These batteries make it easier for people who are medically dependent on electricity to stay in their own home for longer.”

The initiative also comes amid concerns about the impact of power cuts on unpaid carers.

Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK, said losing electricity could create additional anxiety for people looking after relatives who depend on powered equipment or require extra support to remain safe.

She described the distribution of the batteries as a significant milestone in helping households feel better prepared for unexpected outages.

Of the batteries distributed so far, 542 have gone to households in the Highlands, 185 in Argyll and Bute, 101 in the Western Isles, 71 in Shetland and 48 in Orkney. A further 615 have been offered across Aberdeen City and Shire. The batteries are being offered at no cost to eligible customers already registered for SSEN's Priority Services, with the network operator using information about individual circumstances to identify those most likely to benefit.

SSEN said 97 per cent of customers offered a battery had chosen to keep it.

Alongside the scheme, the operator said it had increased its tree-cutting programme to reduce the risk of branches damaging overhead lines. Its workforce of about 250 arborists, surveyors and trainees has helped increase the number of overhead line spans cleared in the north of Scotland by almost 40 per cent since 2023.

It has also improved text updates during outages and introduced a webchat service to help customers obtain information about repairs and estimated reconnection times.