Energy Minister Michael Shanks has praised the commitment of SP Energy Networks employees working tirelessly to restore power to thousands of Scots affected by Storm Éowyn.

The Minister visited the company's storm hub in Cambuslang to observe the ongoing efforts to rebuild the electricity network after the severe weather event.

More than 195,000 properties in central and southern Scotland lost power at the peak of the storm. While over 97% of customers have now had power restored, around 5,000 homes remain without electricity.

"Meeting engineers and control room staff from SP Energy Networks who have been working day and night across the country, it is clear how much work has gone into restoring their customers and how committed they are to continuing their efforts to reconnect every single affected household," said Energy Minister Michael Shanks.


Hundreds of engineers have been working around the clock since Friday morning to restore power, often facing challenging weather conditions.

"We know how difficult it is for those who are still affected by the storm and thank our customers for their support and resilience as our engineers work to restore power in some of the worst conditions faced," said Aileen Rourke, SP Energy Networks Scotland Distribution Director. "Teams are walking miles to get to broken poles and damaged power lines with equipment due to the remote locations. Additional people and resources have arrived from around the UK to support the herculean effort to get power back to customers."

Customer service teams have been inundated with calls, fielding the equivalent of two months' worth of calls since the storm began. Over 200,000 SMS text messages have been issued proactively to customers on the Priority Services Register to offer advice, support, and practical help.

Efforts continue to reconnect all affected customers as quickly and safely as possible.