Some people on Shetland could be without power until the weekend, engineers have warned, as they work to reconnect thousands entering their fourth day without power.
Engineers from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution have been facing severe weather as they work to restore power to around 2,400 properties which remain off supply in Voe, Brae, Yell and the West Mainland.
The Scottish Government declared a major incident for Shetland on Tuesday after thousands of homes were left without power on Monday evening following significant snowfall.
SSEN Distribution is sending 125 additional engineers to Shetland to support local teams, with many arriving by ferry on Wednesday, and said it is likely to be the end of the week before power is restored to all properties.
However it warned that depending on weather conditions and travel availability, it is possible this could extend into the weekend for some properties.
A Met Office yellow warning for snow and ice remains in place across much of northern Scotland, including Shetland, and north-east England, Yorkshire and Humber until 11.59pm on Thursday.
The weather has led to school closures, with all schools in Shetland shut on Thursday and more than 60 closed in Aberdeenshire.
Another yellow weather warning for snow and ice covering Shetland and Orkney kicks in a 12am on Friday and will be in place until 10am.
A yellow warning will cover the majority of Scotland, Wales and England down to the Midlands from 3am until 9pm on Sunday.
Another warning for snow and ice will also cover most of the south of England from 3am until 11am on Sunday.
Mark Macdonald, head of region at SSEN Distribution, said: “With the arrival of additional crews, resources and equipment this morning, we’ve now got a 125-strong team working tirelessly to repair significant network damage in parts of Shetland.
“We’ve deployed helicopters to assess damage on some of the worst impacted circuits in the west mainland and parts of Voe, where severe access issues continue to hamper our restoration efforts.
“We’d like to thank Shetland Islands Council and the Local Resilience Partnership for their ongoing support in helping to ease access issues, which is vital for our teams to make good progress today in restoring power to our customers.
“I’d continue to encourage customers to visit warm welfare locations, organised in collaboration with our partners, which are serving hot drinks, offering kitchen facilities, and providing a warm space for customers without power.”
He urged anyone with concerns for themselves or others to give SSEN teams a call on 105.
Customers can claim up to £30 per person for every 24 hours they are without power and are asked to keep copies of their receipts.
SSEN is also offering to reimburse reasonable food costs for a hot meal if customers are unable to access the welfare locations.
Police are urging people on the islands to be careful it they are heading out.
Chief Inspector Stuart Clemenson said: “Thanks to incredible efforts from Shetland Islands Council gritting teams, main roads are now passable, however the vast majority of side roads are still unpassable and not safe to travel on.
“If you think that the routes surrounding your home will still be dangerous, then please stay at home and find ways to keep warm, linking in with friends, family or neighbours to check that everyone is okay.
“In saying this, many areas are much clearer than previous days and community hubs have been set up in various communities to offer warmth and food.
“If it is safe to do so, then please visit these locations – you can find details on the council website and social media channels.
“Please take care though and take precautions if walking or travelling by vehicle – NHS services in Shetland are under incredible pressure at the moment and we all need to do everything we can to not place more pressure on these services from injuries that could have been avoided.”
The Met Office yellow alert of snow and ice warns that wintry showers will affect many areas of northern Scotland and parts of north-east England, though these will to become fewer in number from later on Thursday.
A few centimetres of snow are likely to accumulate at low levels with the potential for as much as 15-20cm over higher ground.
Meanwhile, a separate yellow warning of snow and ice has been issued for central and southern Scotland and parts of the Highlands and Aberdeenshire from 6am until 11.59pm on Friday.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon addressed the situation in Shetland during First Minister’s Questions on Thursday.
She said SSEN is making “every effort” to restore power.
A further meeting of the Scottish Government’s resilience room will take place on Thursday afternoon, she said, while minister Keith Brown is en route to Shetland to see the situation himself.
