London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

Shetland power cuts declared major incident

Shetland power cuts declared major incident

The power cuts in Shetland have been declared a major incident.

SSEN Distribution is working to restore supplies to about 2,800 homes but Keith Brown, lead minister for resilience, said it was clear that many properties would face days without power.

Sumburgh airport has now reopened and is working with transport operators to maximise capacity.

The Met Office has extended a yellow warning for snow and ice for northern Scotland until 12:00 on Friday.

It covers the north and north-east of Scotland, Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles.

Tuesday night saw a low of -17.3C recorded in Braemar in Aberdeenshire, breaking a record for the year of -15.7C set in the same village on Monday.

Mr Brown urged residents in Shetland to stay at home and check on neighbours, family and friends.

He said he had chaired a Scottish government resilience room with multi-agency partners to make sure every effort was being made to restore power to households.

The power cuts have been caused by "line icing", where snow and ice sticks to overhead power lines, weighing them down and causing them to break.

SSEN Distribution said local teams described conditions as the worst they had seen in 20 years.


SSEN Distribution is working to restore supplies to about 2,800 homes

The company has mobilised additional support from the mainland, with about 70 staff members of staff travelling to Shetland.

"While all efforts are focused on restoring customer supplies as soon as possible, full restoration remains likely to extend to the end of this week," the firm said.

Mae Jamieson told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime she lost power at 17:00 on Monday.

"It's white everywhere, it's still snowing, the roads are like a couple of inches of snow and ice, it's crazy," she said.

She added that she was quite well prepared with a gas stove, candles and head torches but would not be able to go anywhere.

Meanwhile, the body of a woman has been found in Shetland following a search involving a coastguard helicopter and rescue teams from Hillswick, Lerwick and Sumburgh..

Police Scotland confirmed that the body was recovered near an outbuilding in the Ollaberry area.

It is not yet known if the death is related to the weather conditions.

Mr Brown urged residents to stay at home and check on neighbours, family and friends


More SSEN engineers are expected to arrive early on Wednesday morning and will continue supplying Shetland with staff and equipment.

As of 17:30, the firm had restored power to 1,000 properties in Unst, Gutcher and parts of Yell by repairing the main 33 kilovolt network.

About 2,800 customers remain without power in Voe, Whalsay, Brae, Yell and the West Mainland.

Mr Brown said: "Our utmost priority must be to ensure that people, especially the most vulnerable, are safe and warm.

"SSEN have contacted all priority customers and Shetland Islands Council has identified vulnerable people who may need extra support.

"It is also considering how buildings such as community centres could be used to provide respite centres if needed."

More SSEN engineers are expected to arrive early on Wednesday morning


He also urged people to stay at home, find ways to stay warm and check in on neighbours, family and friends, while listening to local radio or following social media for updates.

Mark Macdonald, head of region at SSEN Distribution, said damage to the network was "considerable" and "particularly extensive" across the west of mainland Shetland.

He added: "We'd like to thank NorthLink Ferries and Loganair for their ongoing support in getting our engineers to the islands as quickly as possible.

"I'd like to reassure customers we're working to restore supplies as quickly as possible, liaising closely with our resilience partners to support the joint welfare effort."

A van came off the road near Uig in Skye due to the icy conditions


Customers in a vulnerable position should get in touch on the power cut helpline. A further update is expected will be provided mid-morning on Wednesday.

All schools on Shetland will remain closed on Wednesday due to the uncertainty over travel and power.

Heavy snow has also caused chaos on the islands' roads, where about 40 vehicles were stuck on a hill at Weisdale on Monday.

Coastguard rescue teams were called in to help the stranded motorists, and it took seven hours to clear.

Shetland author Ann Cleeves has tweeted that she lost her laptop "in the blizzard" on Monday.

She has offered a reward, saying there is half a novel saved on the computer.


Some schools were shut in Highland, Moray and Dumfries and Galloway on Tuesday due to the effects of the weather.

Police in Dumfries and Galloway warned young people not to play on the ice, after receiving multiple calls from the public.

Snow caused disruption to travel on the A9 near Inverness, and in Skye one driver had a lucky escape after his van came off the road near Uig.

A newly erected fence stopped his vehicle from going down a steep slope.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
×