5,000 have no electricity ... 5 days af ter power cut

Energy firm says it will be restored by Friday

FAMILIES left without power by Storm Arwen will not be reconnected until tomorrow – seven days after 90mph winds struck.

Power company Scottish and Southern Energy Networks (SSEN) said it hoped most people would see the lights back on today.

However, it warned that a full week since the storm could pass before all homes are reached.

Graeme Keddie, SSEN director of corporate affairs told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme: ‘We are confident we have a handle on what we can restore in the next couple of days.

‘We are looking at making good progress and expect it will be the last final few homes on Friday.’

SSEN said just over 5,000 customers were still ‘off supply’ yesterday, mainly in Aberdeenshire, Moray, Angus, Perthshire and Stirlingshire.

SP Energy Networks said repair crews were working through the night in the Borders and hoped to have the power back on for all customers by this morning.

In northern England, the situation is so severe, Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng had to promise that all households will see power restored ‘by Christmas’.

Mr Kwarteng told the Commons yesterday that Storm Arwen had brought the worst conditions since 2005 and that the wind in central Scotland had reached speeds seen ‘twice in 25 years’.

He said 30,000 customers in the UK were still without electricity but, following talks with the heads of power companies, he was satisfied everything which could be done was being done.

A debate by MPs heard that some rural spots in northern England may have to wait until next Wednesday, or later, before power is restored.

Mr Kwarteng said: ‘Being without power until Christmas is simply unacceptable. We will do everything we can to ensure that does not happen.’

Storm Arwen is continuing to play havoc with education in Aberdeenshire, with some pupils still expected to be out of the classroom tomorrow.

A total of 24 nursery, primary and secondary schools were fully or partially shut yesterday after all 170 in Aberdeenshire were closed on Monday and Tuesday.

Some schools are still without power, while others cannot be reached because transport services are unavailable.

Crudie Primary, by Turriff, is not safe to occupy because a fallen pylon has still not been removed.

Pupils in S3 at Turriff Academy were told to stay off yesterday and S4-S6 pupils will miss today or tomorrow due to staff shortages.

The North-East now faces a ‘be aware’ warning until 10am today due to road and rail routes at risk from ice.