Electricity firms told to "up their game" after Storm Arwen response left thousands of Dumfries and Galloway homes without power

Electricity firms have been told to “up their game” after being slammed for their response to Storm Arwen.

Thousands of homes in Dumfries and Galloway were left without power for several days after the region was battered by fierce winds at the end of November.

And industry body Ofgem’s review of the response from firms has revealed some customers received “unacceptable service”.

Chief executive Jonathan Brearley said engineers had worked hard in challenging conditions but it criticised the number of homes left without power for more than a week “often without accurate information as to when power would be restored”.

He said: “The main message to all the network companies is ‘up your game’, get ready for winter.

“This is a really tough time for customers right now – this is a market where everybody is having a difficult time.

“Every energy company that’s working in this country needs to be working on behalf of their customers and that means big changes for the networks.”

In the wake of Storm Arwen, residents across Dumfries and Galloway were furious at the “absolutely shocking” lack of communication regarding their power being restored.

The Glenkens in the Stewartry was particularly badly hit, as were areas in and around Thornhill.

The power cuts forced the closure of several schools and the operation to remove fallen trees from the region’s forests is ongoing.

The Ofgem review found that some customers remained off power for “an unacceptable amount of time” and received “poor communication from their operator”.

They also discovered that plans to deal with the storm “were not sufficient to deal with the damage”.

The watchdog has recommended firms should submit their winter plans to them to ensure they are prepared, as well as stress testing websites and call centres to ensure they can cope with demand during bad weather.

Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “This action plan will ensure better preparedness for future storms, boosting the security of our electricity system and protecting families.”

David Smith, chief executive of the Energy Networks Association, which represents the UK and Ireland’s energy networks businesses, said firms have planned improvements to ensure they are better prepared for future storms.