About the company
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks maintain electricity transmission networks that carry electricity to 3.7 million homes and businesses. That includes 2.9 million customers in England and more than 740,000 customers in Scotland. The company maintains 130,000km of overhead lines and underground cables, as well as 100 subsea cables. Thanks to that it distributes electricity not only to big cities but also to remote villages and islands. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks is a subsidiary of the SSE, which belongs to the Big 6.
Who’s the Managing Director of the company?
Chris Burchell was appointed the Managing Director of Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks in September 2020. Prior to that, he served as the Managing Director of Arriva.
Where does the company operate?
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks carries electricity to homes and businesses in Central Southern England and in the North of Scotland. The company’s operational region ranges from rural communities to cities and the Isle of Wight.
How to contact Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks?
If you want to report a power cut, call 105. If you have a general enquiry and want to talk to the customer service team, call 0800 048 3516. The lines are open from 8 am until 5 pm, Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you can send an email to GE@ssen.co.uk.
What do Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks do?
The main task that the company is charged with is providing a safe and reliable supply of electricity to communities in the regions Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks serve. To do it, the company owns and manages two distribution networks:
- Southern Electric Power Distribution ltd, which is the biggest of the company’s distribution networks
- Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution ltd, which serves more than 740,000 customers.
The company also owns one transmission network – Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission ltd, which contains renewable energy resources.
In addition to maintaining and upgrading transmission networks, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks can assist you with things like:
- responding to power cuts
- installing new connections
- installing charging points for electric vehicles
- connecting energy storage.
Making a complaint
The company is dedicated to offering high-quality customer service. Nevertheless, if you are not satisfied or you encounter a certain problem, you can raise a complaint.
| way to make a complaint | details |
| by phone | call 0800 980 1395 8am – 8pm, Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm, Saturday |
| online | fill in a complaint form www.ssen.co.uk/complaints/form |
| by email | send an email to customercomplaints@ssen.co.uk |
| via social media | send a message on Twitter @ssencommunity, or Facebook /ssencommunity |
| by post or in person | send a letter or go to: Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Rd Perth, Scotland PH1 3AQ |
The company will try to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
The Priority Services Register
The company cares about its customers so it gives people who need extra help the chance to sign up to its Priority Services Register. Those who qualify for the additional support and free services during power cuts include:
- people with hearing problems
- people who use medical equipment that is powered by electricity
- those who have a chronic illness
- individuals who have a disability
- those who are aged 60 or over
- people who are visually impaired.
These are just a few examples, but if you have other reasons to require extra assistance, do not hesitate to let the company know. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks wants all its customers to feel safe during power cuts.
Promoting innovation
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks invest in modern solutions to prepare the network for the future and keep up with the changes in how people use electricity. By promoting innovation, the company hopes to provide customers with great value and flexibility. Hence, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks develops and delivers innovation projects in three key areas:
| innovation area | key developments |
| Innovation Home | Customers get access to the Power Track app, which allows them to check the live power cuts maps and look for nearby EV charging stations. |
| Transmission Innovation | Investing in the electricity transmission network to overcome challenges and support the transition to a low carbon economy. |
| Distribution Innovation | Sharing research results with all distribution network operators to work together on improving Britain’s distribution network. |
News
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks’ website features a designated ‘News’ section that includes articles on developments from the network and the company, as well as more general topics related to electricity.
Thanks to that, customers can stay updated with what the company is working on and what has been happening in the energy industry. There are several news categories that the website’s visitors can browse like, for example, community, innovations, keeping your power flowing, environment, so everyone can find something they are interested in.
Free Energy Efficiency Advice
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks partnered with Home Energy Scotland, an organisation that helps people lower their energy bills and reduce their impact on the environment, and YES Energy Solutions (YES), an organisation that helps people lower their fuel bills. The goal of this partnership is to offer customers free energy efficiency advice. Now, customers of Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks can benefit from advice on things like:
- Consuming less energy
- Switching to a new energy supplier
- Installing and using a smart meter
- Saving money on energy bills
- Applying for grants and loans to upgrade insulation or heating systems.
All you need to do if you want to talk to experts in these areas is fill in the form online and wait for the right company to contact you. Home Energy Scotland helps customers in the North of Scotland, while YES Energy Solutions reaches out to people living in central southern England.