SSE calls off Quarff power cuts after ‘serious concerns’ from residents

SSE HAS cancelled two planned full-day power outages in Quarff following “serious concern” from residents amid freezing weather.

Half of the village was due to be without power from 9am until 3pm today (Wednesday), with the other half to be turned off tomorrow, while temperatures remain close to freezing.

Gulberwick, Quarff and Cunningsburgh Community Council criticised the timing of the SSE power cuts, saying they had caused “significant concern” due to the icy weather.

But SSE told Shetland News this morning (Wednesday) that it had taken the last-minute decision to call off the outages.

The energy giant said that, after assessing conditions in Shetland, it decided at 7am to cancel today and tomorrow’s planned works.

Residents were texted at around 8am to explain SSE’s decision, the company said.

Around 80 homes were set to be left in the dark today, with all of Wester Quarff to be turned off.

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Quarff. Photo: Google

Quarff. Photo: Google

The Gulberwick, Quarff and Cunningsburgh Community Council had written to SSE late last night to question why the works were not postponed.

It asked what support the energy giant had put in place for vulnerable residents, and said “anxious” parents were worried about keeping their children warm over the coming days.

These parents were “considering difficult or impractical arrangements as a result”, it added.

Other residents who had been working at home were now considering “making journeys in unsafe conditions” to get to work, the community council added.

In its letter, the community council said Quarff residents were told in December that their power would be turned off over the two day spell in January from 9am to 3pm.

“Under normal circumstances this would be inconvenient but manageable,” the community council said.

“However, the timing of these outages is now causing significant concern due to the spell of very cold, snowy weather we are currently experiencing.

“The local school [Cunningsburgh] is closed tomorrow, roads and driveways are blocked with snow, and many residents are effectively confined to their homes.

“Even those who might usually choose to go elsewhere during a power outage are currently unable to do so.”

The community council questioned why two full-day power outages were “scheduled for mid-winter”, when cold weather and the likelihood of weather disruption “are at their highest”.

“We appreciate that staffing, timetabling and operational constraints must be taken into account, but the timing does raise serious concerns,” it said.

The community council also asked for clarity on why the works were not postponed when it became clear that severe cold weather was affecting the isles.

However, SSE said it had listened to residents’ concerns and made the choice to call off the works this morning.

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