An Aberdeenshire family has had to wrap up in three layers of jumpers and duvets to keep warm as they self-isolate without power.
The O’Brien family in Potterton have been without power since Storm Malik hit on Saturday and, after testing positive for Covid on Monday, have been locked in their cold home.
Relying on a neighbouring farmer’s generator to charge their phones and Tesco deliveries for food, the family hope power will be restored sooner rather than later.
Dad Joe O’Brien said: “Every day we are told at midnight the power will be back and then midnight comes, and it is pushed back a day.
“I don’t know if it is a matter of resources or how they prioritise, but we have been left in the cold for days, unable to leave.”
Mr O’Brien, his wife Lisa and 11-year-old daughter Megan are among thousands of north-east residents who have had their power knocked out after severe weather conditions battered the region over the weekend.
Engineers are hoping to have the final homes back on the grid by midnight on Wednesday, and SSEN has stressed they have made free services available for “priority” customers.
‘Same story as eight weeks ago’
Like many families across Aberdeenshire and Moray, the O’Briens also experienced outrages during Storm Arwen.
When the storm hit the Grampian region, the family were left in the dark for nearly a week.
Mrs O’Brien said: “This is the second time in eight weeks, last time we were offered compensation after our power outage, but there has been no word of that – and we have nearly been without power for the same amount of time.
“We are paying more for a service that isn’t there. It is the same story as eight weeks ago, could there not have been more preparation to make sure it didn’t happen again.
“Every time there is a power cut, it is always a tree that has fallen on the lines.”
Following Storms Malik and Corrie, more than 115,000 properties lost power at some point. Network provider SSEN has since said the storms over the last few days have been even stronger than Arwen.
‘Luckier than some’
Battling Covid and the cold, the family hassaid that even though their situation is less than ideal they are still “luckier” than others.
Mr O’Brien added: “There are older people without power who don’t have access to mobile phones or the internet who won’t be able to get updates on when the lights may come back on.
“We have been okay, I tested positive on Monday and the symptoms have been like a bad cold.
“Megan has liked it as she is off school, but she has started to complain that daddy is starting to smell – as we don’t have any hot water to shower and can’t leave because of Covid.”
A spokeswoman from SSEN said: “Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks has been working to restore power to over 120,000 customers affected by Storms Malik and Corrie, with priority on restoration of areas most widely affected to safely reconnect the largest amount of customers as quickly as possible.
“Additional free services are provided to vulnerable customers through our Priority Services Register and this includes customers who have coronavirus or are suffering from long-term effects of the virus.
“All of our communications and weather updates encourage customers who are vulnerable or in need of additional assistance to register for our Priority Services Register, with further details available here or by calling 0800 294 3259.”
If you are also without power, there are welfare centres across the north and north-east. A list of which can be viewed here.
