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Scotland snow: Engineers battle to restore power in Arran, Kintyre and Wigtownshire Scotland snow: Engineers battle to restore power in Arran, Kintyre and Wigtownshire
(about 2 hours later)
Engineers in Kintyre have said that damage to two electricity pylons in Friday's storm is much worse than originally thought.Engineers in Kintyre have said that damage to two electricity pylons in Friday's storm is much worse than originally thought.
The towers collapsed under sheets of ice and snow. As a result, power supplies to thousands of consumers in Kintyre and Arran were cut.The towers collapsed under sheets of ice and snow. As a result, power supplies to thousands of consumers in Kintyre and Arran were cut.
The pylons are on the eastern side of Kintyre near Carradale.The pylons are on the eastern side of Kintyre near Carradale.
Scottish and Southern Energy said they have never experienced two pylons collapsing at one time. Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) said they have never experienced two pylons collapsing at one time.
The last time a storm brought down one of their pylons was in 1987.The last time a storm brought down one of their pylons was in 1987.
Fears have been voiced that it could take weeks to restore mains power to some parts of Scotland left without electricity by the March storms.Fears have been voiced that it could take weeks to restore mains power to some parts of Scotland left without electricity by the March storms.
Thousands of Scottish homes are still without power, three days after losing supplies due to severe weather conditions.Thousands of Scottish homes are still without power, three days after losing supplies due to severe weather conditions.
Around 3,500 homes on Kintyre and 1,500 on Arran are waiting to be reconnected.Around 3,500 homes on Kintyre and 1,500 on Arran are waiting to be reconnected.
A further 250 homes remain without electricity in Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway. By Monday evening, about 100 homes remained without electricity in Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway.
Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown has defended the efforts to help people affected, but agreed that the situation could be "extremely worrying" for some people. Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown said emergency engineers and road clearing crews across Kintyre, Arran and Dumfries and Galloway were working "flat out" to help individuals and communities affected by the weekend's severe weather.
Engineers' attempts to restore supplies have been hampered by a weekend of snow, blizzards and strong winds.
Heavy snow and ice brought down power lines in Kintyre on Friday, which blacked out a huge area, including Arran, over the weekend.Heavy snow and ice brought down power lines in Kintyre on Friday, which blacked out a huge area, including Arran, over the weekend.
With road transport still difficult, repair teams have been using a fleet of six helicopters to move essential equipment.
Additional staff have been brought in to assist with the volume of calls to customer service centres.
Graham Keddie, of Scottish and Southern Energy, said: "We've got 400 engineers on the ground on Arran and in Kintyre working hard to restore power."
On Friday evening, about 20,000 homes had been without power.On Friday evening, about 20,000 homes had been without power.
That figure stood at about 5,000 homes on Monday morning. Scottish and Southern Energy said it expected that the some of the 5,000 homes currently without power in Kintyre and Arran would be linked up to emergency generation on Monday evening.
"People on the ground have been saying that they haven't seen anything like it in 40 years," he said. The power company has drafted in more 400 engineering staff to Kintyre and Arran and has six helicopters operating in the area.
Local hotels supplied with generators have been acting as emergency centres. Speaking after a visit to Arran to see first-hand efforts to reconnect power, Mr Brown said: "Dozens of generators have been brought onto the island and SSE has arranged for food vans to distribute free hot meals to customers who continue to be without power.
"I also spoke to local people on Arran. It is heartening to see the evident community spirit with islanders helping each other cope in the horrendous weather conditions.
"I know that the same joint working partnerships and community spirit are evident in Kintyre, which has faced the brunt of the severe weather impacts."
ScottishPower said it had more than 300 engineers working in the Wigtownshire and Barrhill areas on Monday.
A spokesman added: "We are working hard to reconnect the 100 homes who remain off supply and we expect to have all properties connected this evening.
"We have also contacted customers throughout the day and offered hotel accommodation for anyone who was due to remain off supply into this evening."
The Scottish government's resilience committee met several times over the weekend, and again on Monday morning.
Transport Minister Mr Brown added: "The Scottish Government will continue to do everything we can to support local responders and help co-ordinate the support and help they need until all services are restored."
On Arran, local hotels supplied with generators have been acting as emergency centres.
Some local residents have praised the efforts to provide emergency supplies but fear a permanent solution may take some time.Some local residents have praised the efforts to provide emergency supplies but fear a permanent solution may take some time.
Councillor John Bruce said: "This is the fourth day and it was like watching, I suppose, an army exercise as those big generators from Aggreko came off the ferries.Councillor John Bruce said: "This is the fourth day and it was like watching, I suppose, an army exercise as those big generators from Aggreko came off the ferries.
"They're powering up the villages now but we'll be without mains power I would say for weeks to come, rather than just days."They're powering up the villages now but we'll be without mains power I would say for weeks to come, rather than just days.
"However, we're bearing it. We're resilient.""However, we're bearing it. We're resilient."
All schools on Arran are closed, as are all Argyll and Bute primaries south of Tarbert and more than a dozen schools in Dumfries and Galloway. All schools on Arran were closed on Monday, as were all Argyll and Bute primaries south of Tarbert and more than a dozen schools in Dumfries and Galloway.
A number of roads in the Highlands, Tayside, Grampian and Dumfries and Galloway remain closed.A number of roads in the Highlands, Tayside, Grampian and Dumfries and Galloway remain closed.
A number of mobile generators have already been ferried to Arran, and five more have been ordered. Five mobile catering units have been organised on the island, along with three in Kintyre.
Neil Young, a fireman at Lamlash on Arran, said about 100 people a day had been taking advantage of his fire station's offer of hot refreshments and shower facilities.Neil Young, a fireman at Lamlash on Arran, said about 100 people a day had been taking advantage of his fire station's offer of hot refreshments and shower facilities.
The coastguard used boats from Troon and Arran to deliver supplies and offer assistance where needed.The coastguard used boats from Troon and Arran to deliver supplies and offer assistance where needed.
The Scottish government's resilience committee has met several times over the weekend, chaired by Mr Brown. British Red Cross arranged for a consignment of blankets and hot water bottles to be ferried across to Arran and distributed to residents.
The transport minister claimed things should start to improve once engineers and others were able to travel more freely. In Campbeltown, Red Cross volunteers also helped evacuate residents from a nursing home and transferred them to temporary accommodation at the former Machrihanish RAF base nearby.
Mr Brown said: "The access has improved greatly and that's crucial for getting the infrastructure back on.
"However, the issue of course is Kintyre, which is where the electricity comes from for Arran, and there's a great deal of work to do there as well."
The minister agreed that problems remained for many people.
He added: "It's extremely worrying for people involved in that situation but what you're seeing, for example, is ferries on new routes from Kennacraig to Campbeltown taking generators.
"The Co-op run has been made so there is food being supplied to local shops."
The Met Office has issued a fresh yellow warning covering eastern Scotland, northeast England and eastern parts of Northern Ireland.The Met Office has issued a fresh yellow warning covering eastern Scotland, northeast England and eastern parts of Northern Ireland.
Forecasters said snow showers and icy patches would continue to make driving hazardous on Monday night, especially over high ground.Forecasters said snow showers and icy patches would continue to make driving hazardous on Monday night, especially over high ground.
The strong wind will be an added problem as it continues to blow the lying snow.The strong wind will be an added problem as it continues to blow the lying snow.
The warning is valid from 20:00 on Monday until 09:00 on Tuesday.The warning is valid from 20:00 on Monday until 09:00 on Tuesday.
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