Also in the news / Power cuts, tow-in, Stena Spey airlift and more…
MORE than 600 properties in Scalloway, Hamnavoe and Bridgend were without power for up to three hours on Saturday.
SSEN Distribution said a fault had occurred in the utility’s overhead network twenty minutes before midday.
Engineers went out to restore the fault and by 2.36pm all supplies were restored, the company said.
“We’d like to apologise to our customers in the Scalloway, Hamnavoe and Bridgend areas who were impacted by today’s power cut and reassure them that our engineers did all they could to restore their supplies as safely and as quickly as possible.”
A second power cut occurred in the Voe area later the same day when a hydro pole went on fire.
SSEN the said power supply had to be isolated to ensure that repair work could be carried out safely, resulting in more than 250 customers being without power for around six hours.
“All customers were back on supply by 0.39am and SSEN would like to thank them for their patience while this essential work was carried out,” a spokesperson said.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated.
THE AITH lifeboat was launched into service on Sunday to assist the local whitefish boat Comrades (LK308) which had suffered a fouled propeller in St Magnus Bay.
The lifeboat towed the 26-metre vessel to West Burrafirth where both vessels arrived before 2pm.
SOME of the non-essential crew on board the oil drilling rig Stena Spey that lost four of its eight anchors in Storm Babet were taken to Sumburgh.
The Stena Spey was 146 miles east of Aberdeen when the alarm was raised on Saturday morning.
Forty-five crew were airlifted to neighbouring installations, as well as to Shetland.
Meanwhile, the Stena Spey is said to be secure while anchor handling vessels will attempt to repair the damage.
SNP candidate at next year’s general election Robert Leslie has praised the SIC for the manner of its engagement with both governments in their bid to push tunnels up the connectivity agenda.
Speaking at the recent party conference in Aberdeen, Leslie said: “Orkney’s Churchill Barriers already prove that fixed links keep communities alive.
“Looking further north, we can see that tunnels might also play a part in ensuring our islands thrive rather than survive.
“Shetland already has plans to link some of its islands with tunnels, and I applaud Shetland Islands Council for presenting their vision and engaging positively with the Scottish and UK governments on this.”
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