SSE has admitted cutting off the electricity supply to Plymouth’s RNLI lifeboats at Millbay Marina in a dispute over unpaid landlord bills which Plymouth Plus understands amounts to tens of thousands of pounds.
The disconnection on Tuesday 19 August has triggered outrage and raised urgent questions over how one of Britain’s most critical emergency services could be placed at risk by a landlord’s utility arrears and SSE’s power disconnection.
SSE have confirmed to Plymouth Plus that it had obtained a court warrant to disconnect the power supply to Millbay Marina. The company said it carried out pre-disconnection site visits, issued letters both to the landlord and the site, and then applied for and was granted legal powers to disconnect the electricity.
Despite these steps, the result was that Plymouth’s lifeboats were left without electricity, even though crews are on standby 24 hours a day for life saving rescues and it was only after Plymouth Plus contacted SSE that engineers went back to hours later to reconnect the power.
Local mariners say the situation was entirely avoidable. They argue that SSE should have ringfenced emergency assets from any risk of disconnection, while FirstPort, as the landlord’s management company, should never have allowed debts to escalate to the point of power being cut.
FirstPort, the management company responsible for the landlord account, told Plymouth Plus:
“We are aware of the situation and are investigating it as a matter of urgency.”
A spokesperson for SSE Energy Solutions (Business Energy) told Plymouth Plus:
“A landlord supply in the local area was disconnected today (Tuesday 19 August) due to an outstanding debt. This supply is unrelated to the lifeboat tower (Old Custom House) and instead serves landlord lighting and some power sockets at a different property. However, we recognise the importance of the RNLI’s operations, and we’re working with our service partner, IMServe, to arrange reconnection as soon as possible.”
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