Faulty transformer causes power outage across parts of Ross-shire, Scotland
EIR-0967Provisional entry. Published from first reports. This entry is rechecked automatically and updated when more sources appear. Next update: 19 September 2026.
A faulty transformer on Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks' (SSEN) high-voltage network caused a power outage in Ross-shire, Scotland, at around 6:23 a.m. on 1 April 2020. Homes in the Marybank, Muir of Ord, Fairburn, Fern and Muirton Mains areas lost electricity supply. Most affected properties had power restored by 9:30 a.m., but 19 properties remained without electricity at the time of reporting. SSEN engineers aimed to restore supply to the remaining properties by 2 p.m. and dispatched generators to support affected customers while repairs continued. SSEN apologised for the inconvenience and thanked customers for their patience while engineers worked to safely restore power.
A fault on SSEN's high-voltage network, attributed to a faulty transformer, was the stated cause. No further technical detail on the nature of the fault was reported.
- Rapid deployment of backup generators can mitigate customer impact while high-voltage faults are repaired.
- Clear and timely public communication about restoration timelines helps manage customer expectations during outages.
- Distribution network operators should maintain contingency plans for transformer faults affecting multiple communities simultaneously.
Published 2026-09-17. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.