A South Uist woman has been trying out an SSEN home battery pack supplied in a trial for customers who need extra support.
The battery pack is a backup to ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply in the event of power outages.
Priority Services customer Chrissie Laing has been helping the SSEN trial rollout for several months and appreciates the extra peace of mind the battery pack provides.
Says Chrissie: “I need to use a mask during the night, so I’ve been happy to try the home battery pack out, and I’m glad I’ll be able to keep it now the trial is over. It’s given me a bit more reassurance to know that if the power were ever to go off, I’d have it to potentially help run my medical equipment.”
Eligible priority service customers involved in the industry’s first trial were given the battery packs at no cost to help run medical equipment as well as provide light, heat and communications during a power cut.
The trial, which has now been deemed a success, and the full rollout is now underway. Priority Services customers will be contacted if they are eligible for a battery pack, a process which is determined on need, circumstances and the frequency of power cuts in their area.
Eliane Algaard, SSEN Distribution’s Services Director, said: “People who used a Home Battery Pack during the trial told us it made a big difference to them. They said they felt more prepared because they knew how the battery could help support them in their own homes if the power went off for a time.”
The initiative has been backed by Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, who explained that unpaid carers are often the “first port of call” when the power goes off, responsible for keeping family members and friends safe and supported at home.
“SSEN Distribution’s industry-first home battery packs give carers and their families vital reassurance and help reduce the stress of potential power loss,” she added.
“Combined with SSEN Distribution’s provision of Power Cut Plans to its Priority Services customers, this is the kind of innovation we hope other Distribution Network Operators will now adopt.”
Image content - SSEN
