BBC

Sunday, 4 March, 2001, 10:27 GMT Power firm attacked over supply claims

Many people have been without power for five days People living in the Borders have rubbished ScottishPower's claims that electricity supplies have been restored across the region.

The firm said all affected customers - the majority without power for at least five days - had a supply from the mains or a generator by 0200 GMT on Sunday.

But several people have called BBC Scotland to complain that they are still off supply, and to say the company has known about their plight for days.

Around 40,000 households were left without power on Monday when strong winds and heavy snow crippled power lines.

Charles Manson, who works from home near Kelso, said: "I hope they are getting on with fixing it so that we can get on with rejoining the real world.

"We have a neighbour who is over 80 and who is beginning to get breathing difficulties from the paraffin lighting they are having to use."

However, a ScottishPower spokeswoman said people could only be reconnected people when if they were known to be cut off.

She urged affected householders to get in touch so that repairs can be carried out.

On Saturday about 3,500 homes remained without power, but engineers were said to be working flat-out to repair the damage from the Arctic weather that paralysed many parts of the Borders.

Compensation

Helicopters had to be used through the week to deliver food parcels and generators and also to airlift vulnerable people from the worst affected areas.

ScottishPower will open a compensation helpline on Monday for customers who were without power for more than 18 hours.

The spokeswoman said: "Customers who were off for the minimum period will qualify for a minimum of £50.

"They are also eligible for a further £25 for every 12 hours they are cut off after the 18 hour period."

'Normality returning'

A weather forecaster said that there was no additional snow in the Borders overnight, but that temperatures remained as low as minus 14.3C.

He said: "Today (Sunday) the temperatures should be around 4C and conditions will become a lot milder as we move into next week, so that by Wednesday the region should be around 11C."

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said that normality was beginning to return to the region.

He said: "The only road closed today is the A1 between Spott roundabout and Beltonford roundabout. This is due to drifting snow and high winds."

-- Rachel Gibson (rgibson@hotmail.com), March 04, 2001