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Grid infrastructureUnited KingdomEIR-0967

Faulty transformer causes power outage in Ross-shire

Apr 2020Published 17 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

MinorElectricalProvisional
Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?
Figure hidden: shown to subscribersMedium confidence
supply cut for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate
From the recordRoot cause hiddenFailed part hidden
Where
Ross-shire, Scotland
Operator
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN)
What
Power outage on high-voltage network
Cause
Faulty transformer
Response
Generators dispatched, repairs ongoing

What happened

Hundreds of people in Ross-shire lost electricity after a faulty transformer was reported to have knocked out power on the high-voltage network at 6:23 a.m. on 1 April 2020. Some homes in Marybank, Muir of Ord, Fairburn, Fern and Muirton Mains were affected. Most of those affected had power restored by 9:30 a.m. At the time of the report, 19 properties were still without supply. Engineers hoped to restore them by 2 p.m. and were sending generators in the interim. Whether that later restoration was completed was not reported.

Contributing factors

The operator described the cause as a faulty transformer on the high-voltage network. No further technical detail was reported.

Lessons learned

  1. A fault on a high-voltage transformer can cut supply across several communities, so operators should be ready to isolate the failed unit and restore unaffected sections quickly.
  2. Where a small number of properties remain off after the main restoration, temporary generation can bridge the gap while repairs continue.
  3. Customers should be told the time of the fault, which areas are affected, and when supply is expected back.

More lessons on electrical protection and isolation, outages, backup supply and restoration, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

  • Exact nature of the transformer fault
  • Total duration of the outage
  • Cost of repairs and lost supply

This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.

Source

transformer-magazine.com

Published 2026-09-17. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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