We’re extremely grateful to everyone in Huntly and Keith for your support while we worked to restore your gas supplies last week, and we’re sorry for the disruption. We know it was challenging being without your gas supply in the cold weather, but we were overwhelmed by the sense of community spirit.
On Wednesday 3 February, all 4,500 affected residents were able to safely switch their gas supplies back on at the meter. Our engineers visited residents who needed help in turning their supply back on, including everyone who was registered on the Priority Services Register. We were joined by engineers from across Scotland to do this, which enabled us to make sure Huntly and Keith homes were warm again as quickly as possible.
Throughout the two-day incident, we were fantastically supported by local partner organisations and volunteer agencies, including Aberdeenshire Council, COTAG 4x4, health and social care partnerships, HM Coastguard, Moray Council, Police Scotland, the Red Cross and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, who helped us make sure the most vulnerable members of the Huntly and Keith community stayed safe and well looked after while they were without gas. As well as regular wellness checks of those individuals and families, we also provided hot plates for cooking, electric heaters for warmth and hot meals.
You will receive compensation for the time you were without your gas supply, as agreed with the energy regulator Ofgem. If you were without gas for over 24 hours, you will receive £30 compensation per household for each complete 24-hour period you had no gas. This compensation is paid through your supplier and will appear as a credit on your next bill.
There is no need to apply for compensation as it’s paid automatically. If you’re not sure who your supplier is, you can find their name on the top of your gas bill or by visiting findmysupplier.energy. It usually takes four to five weeks for your compensation to be processed. However, it can sometimes take up to three months to show on your account, depending on your supplier’s billing cycle.
Thank you again to everyone in Huntly and Keith for your patience and understanding last week.