SSE’s diesel power stations at Stornoway and Loch Carnan will fire up on two separate occasions during April while SSEN Transmission teams carry out essential work on the main national grid network supplying the Western Isles.

The switchovers between the main electricity network and the two stations will be seamless, and local communities won’t notice any difference in power levels as they go about their daily business.

The Battery Point station in Stornoway will be operational between 14 and 27 April, while Loch Carnan will be in action from the 14th to the 18th.

Donald Macaskill, who leads SSEN Distribution’s embedded generation across the Western Isles, said: “We’re committed to ensuring our customers have a safe, secure and reliable supply of electricity 24/7, and this includes when the main network is temporarily turned off during essential maintenance.

“During April SSEN Transmission will be carrying out maintenance works on the Isle of Skye, and on the main transmission line from Harris to Stornoway; to allow all of this to be done safely, our Loch Carnan and Battery Point stations will be providing a continuous supply of power across our Western Isles communities when this essential work is carried out.”

Island power stations to take over during grid maintenance works

1 April 2025