Wick electricity workers praised by MP Jamie Stone as they prepare for winter storms
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Workers looking after the electricity network in Caithness have been praised by MP Jamie Stone after a visit to Wick.
The Lib Dem MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross took a trip to SSEN Distribution’s Wick depot and learned about how they operate to keep the lights on in the far north.
The Wick depot is at the heart of the company’s operations across Caithness, with teams working all year round on the overhead network, underground cables and substations to deliver a safe and secure supply of electricity to some of the most remote parts of the country.
With the potential for winter storms, a key task for the local teams in recent months has been to ensure that the overhead lines and wooden poles are in the best possible condition, ready to withstand the worst of the weather.
During his visit, Mr Stone met a number of staff from the depot, some of whom have been with SSEN Distribution for a large part of their working lives, and also some who have recently joined the company such as Jack Halliday, a trainee engineer, and Kyle Mackay, who is now one of the managers in the depot after progressing through SSEN’s apprentice programme.
Mr Stone said: "I had a really useful visit to SSEN's Wick depot. I was particularly struck by the cheerful way in which the people who I met dealt with their demanding jobs, keeping the lights on and homes warm, often in very difficult winter conditions. I learnt a lot, which will help me if and when the topic of electricity and possible power cuts comes up in the House of Commons.
"Well-maintained energy infrastructure is crucial to our far north communities, so I am very grateful to the Wick team for doing all they can to get the Caithness electricity network ready for the winter."
Pamela Harvey, SSEN Distribution’s community relationship manager, said: “We were delighted to welcome Mr Stone to the depot last week and let him learn a bit more about what goes on behind the scenes and say hello to some of our colleagues.
"With winter just around the corner, we were able to give an overview of the work our teams have been doing to make sure our network across Caithness is prepared for the challenges of any potential storms.
“As well as working all year round to keep the power flowing, we’re also very focused on supporting community and personal resilience, so that on the rare occasions the power is off, our customers are prepared and ready to react as our teams work to restore supplies.
"One of the ways we do this is though our Resilient Communities Fund, and Mr Stone was really interested to learn more about the funding we look to offer local groups and charities to help them strengthen their preparedness and resilience.”
