Following the severe impact on our network caused by Storm Arwen, SP Energy Networks is offering additional compensation of £150 per household to those off for more than 48 hours as an apology for the disruption caused. SP Energy Networks teams worked tirelessly to restore power to the 200,000 customers impacted, often in challenging weather conditions, to connect 88% of customers in the first 24 hours following the storm and 96% within 48 hours.
The value of this additional compensation represents more than the average annual customer’s costs for the services provided by SP Energy Networks and will be with those affected customers by the end of the year. This is in addition to statutory compensation of over £1 million, and the offer of welfare provision that has involved hotel rooms, hot food costs and other measures worth a further £1 million, that has already been committed by the company to those affected.
Frank Mitchell, CEO of SP Energy Networks, said:
“We are incredibly grateful to our customers for their patience as our engineers worked tirelessly to make repairs safely amid some continuing challenging weather conditions, but we also appreciate the worry and uncertainty over the length of time without power has brought to some customers.
“We apologise again to everyone affected by the damage to the power network caused by the storm. The devastation right across the communities we serve from Fife, Lothian & Borders, Dumfries & Galloway, Cheshire, North & Mid Wales from north easterly wind speeds of up to 97mph, was far greater than we have seen for at least 25 years.
“Our full resources were deployed to make repairs, with a team with a team of 1,000 staff involved in emergency action and direct field response, also supported by our customer service teams managing calls and customers in our service centres.
“Our engineers have worked daily from first light until the small hours to make repairs as quickly and as safely as they could, and I’m hugely proud of their efforts.
“While our early storm response was hampered by road access due to fallen trees and significant storm debris, we’ve had boots on the ground across our operating area endeavouring to get customers back on supply as quickly and as safely as possible.
“I hope our customers can accept this additional gesture of goodwill, which will be made available before Christmas, and I’d personally like to thank everyone again for bearing with us at what has been a very challenging time.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- The £150 refund will be made directly to around 8,000 households which were off supply for more than 48 hours.
- This is in addition to the statutory compensation customers are entitled to.
- As a Category 2 storm, statutory payments are £70 for domestic and commercial customers when off for 48 hours, and payments of £70 for every additional 12 hours, up to a maximum payment of £700.
Photo: by Thomas Kelley on Unsplash
