Storm Eunice: Here's how to get support if your home is without power across Chichester and Bognor Regis

SSEN teams have worked overnight and from first light this morning to restore power to the remaining customers affected by Storm Eunice, the most severe storm to hit the South coast in over 30 years.

Conditions remain challenging with the arrival of Storm Franklin causing sustained high winds, particularly across the coast.

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This has led to new faults, access issues due to fallen trees and multiple points of damage on our overhead lines, which has extended repair times, the company has said.

Richard Gough, director of distribution System Operations, said: “The hurricane-force winds of Storm Eunice have resulted in some of the most extreme and challenging conditions experienced in the south of England for decades, with significant impact on our overhead line network.

"I would like to apologise to our customers for the continued disruption as our teams work around the clock to restore power.

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“I’d also like to recognise our teams in the field and in our control and customer centres, who are doing a brilliant job in very difficult conditions and stand ready to respond to the impact of Storm Franklin, while prioritising restoring customers who have been without power longest.

“We fully appreciate the issues being faced by customers who have been without power since the start of Storm Eunice and as our teams work hard to reconnect the remaining homes, we are actively encouraging all customers who we expect to remain off supply for an extended period to take advantage of our enhanced welfare offer.”

Enhanced welfare

Accommodation support - we encourage customers concerned about an extended power cut to make alternative arrangements to stay with family or friends but recognise this may not be an option for all. Where this is the case and a customer has been without power since Friday and their Estimated Time of Restoration is later than Sunday evening, we are offering to reimburse all reasonable costs for arranging alternative accommodation.

Meals - SSEN are placing welfare vans in communities most affected by Storm Eunice offering free hot food, drinks and charging facilities at the following locations, which will open at 8am until 2pm on Monday 21 February:

· Midhurst Road Car Park in Liphook, GU30 7TN

· Cliddesden Basingtoke Village Hall, RG25 2JQ

· Froxfield Village Green, GU32 1DH

· New Church Street, Tetbury, GL8 8DS

· Raghill, Padworth, RG7 4NX

· Charmister Village Hall, Redwood House, Charlton, DT2 9UH

· Portesham Village Hall, Malthouse Meadow, Portesham, DT3 4NS

· Farnham Maltings, Bridge Square, Farnham, GU9 7QR

· Coxcombe Lane, Chiddingfold, Godalming, GU8 4AQ

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Similarly, for these customers who have been without power since Friday who do not live in proximity to these vans or need to remain in your home due to circumstances such as mobility or COVID-19, we are offering to reimburse reasonable costs for a meal or takeaway, up to the value of £15 per person and up to a maximum of £60 per household.

Reimbursement – eligible customers should book the accommodation and meals directly and retain all receipts which should then be sent to SSEN for reimbursement via the following link - https://tinyurl.com/EuniceClaim. All claims will be processed for reimbursement promptly once full restoration has taken place.

Compensation for loss of power

"Separate to the enhanced welfare offering above, we recognise that customers may have questions regarding compensation, which is governed by Guaranteed Standards of Service set by our regulator, Ofgem.

"Customers will be eligible for compensation under Guaranteed Standards if they have been without power for over 48hrs, where they will be eligible for a payment of £70. A further £70 will be due for each additional period of 12 hours in which supply is not restored, up to a cap of £700.

"Customers do not need to contact SSEN to receive this compensation. We will automatically issue this by cheque to the address that was impacted by the storms based on the data we hold. We will send a letter to addresses where this information is incomplete."