New app reports power cuts with the touch of a button
Customers in the north of Scotland and central southern England can now report power cuts and network damage directly to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN), through the launch of a new and innovative app.
The new Power Track app allows SSEN’s customers to alert the electricity distribution network operator to a power cut by using their mobile phone or tablet, rather than having to phone the customer services team.
The app will help SSEN respond quicker to power cuts, which should mean customers will have their power restored faster. The report will go directly to SSEN’s teams who will deploy engineers to investigate, reconnecting power supplies as quickly as possible.
SSEN is the first network operator to develop an app that allows members of the public to take photos of any damage they see to the electricity network and send them directly to SSEN’s teams. The images, combined with GPS signals, will alert engineers to the exact location and potential cause of any problems, allowing them to minimise time locating faults and promptly repair any damage to the network.
Lisa Doogan, Director of Customer Relationship Management at SSEN, said:
“We’re delighted to launch our new, updated Power Track app to make it easier for our customers to report power cuts or damage to our network. We work all year round to improve the resilience of our electricity networks, and we do everything we can to minimise disruption to our customers’ supplies. However, in the event customers do lose power, we want to make sure they have all the tools they need to report directly to our teams, in whichever way they feel most comfortable.
“The picture functionality of the new app is also a great innovation. While customers should never approach a damaged power line or piece of our equipment, if they are able to send us a picture from a safe distance we’ll have a better idea of what is required to fix the job as quickly as possible. For example, if a tree has blown onto a power line and we can see it before sending out our engineers, they’ll know exactly where it is and the equipment they’ll need to make the repair.”
The new Power Track app has been developed to enhance current features enabling customers to view faults and subscribe to updates; adding the increased functionality of reporting power cuts, network damage and also providing customers with general advice and information on SSEN’s Priority Services Register.
The new Power Track app can be downloaded on the App Store, Google Play Store and Windows Phone Store. Customers with the current app should download the update to unlock the new features available to them. For more information, please visit ssen.co.uk/powertrack.
