Extra compensation for Scottish homes hit by Storm Arwen
The extreme conditions have been called a "once in a generation" weather event
Extra compensation will be paid to tens of thousands of customers left without power following Storm Arwen.
The extreme conditions, deemed a "once in a generation" weather event, on November 26 affected 135,000 Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) customers, mainly in north east Scotland, with the last homes only reconnected nine days later.
SSEN said it will add a 20% goodwill payment to the statutory compensation values set by energy regulator Ofgem.
A £700 cap on compensation was lifted last week, allowing those affected to claim £70 for each 12-hour period they are left without power, after an initial £70 for the first 48 hours.
SSEN said the 20% enhancement means customers will receive up to an additional £210 depending on how long they were without power.
When combined with the removal of the £700 payment cap, this will mean an extra £560 in total for those last to be reconnected.
SSEN managing director Chris Burchell said: "The intensity and impact of Storm Arwen brought many challenges to SSEN, but I fully recognise the challenges faced by the communities we serve have been even greater.
"I'd like to thank customers for their patience as our teams worked tirelessly to restore power and also to recognise the support we received from our community partners to help protect those customers most in need.
"We recognise this is an exceptional situation and are making a fair and proportionate goodwill increase to the standard compensation available for customers, supporting those most affected.
"This 20% enhancement will be paid automatically and combined with lifting the payment cap, for those last to be reconnected, will result in an additional payment of £560."
The company also said an additional £500,000 will be added to the 2022 SSEN Resilient Communities Fund, supporting more community resilience projects across the north of Scotland.
SSEN said payments will be issued before Christmas to as many customers as it can process, with those most affected given priority.
It is also processing reimbursement to customers for reasonable hotel accommodation and food expenses, with affected customers asked to submit claims with receipts to Storm.Payments@ssen.co.uk.
Local authorities welcomed the announcement of the additional support.
Jim Savage, chief executive of Aberdeenshire Council, said: "This announcement from SSEN will be incredibly welcomed, on a community and individual level.
"The impact of Storm Arwen will have created hardship for lots of people and I am hopeful that this announcement will make a difference and keep them resilient in future."
Mark Salmond, Angus Council communities convener, said: "Storm Arwen had a big impact on a lot of families and communities.
"I'd like to extend my thanks to the amazing effort of local communities, council teams, partners and engineers who worked night and day, in extremely challenging conditions and terrain, to get power back to homes and businesses."
Ofgem has launched a review into the response of energy network companies to Storm Arwen.