Ireland is reeling from the aftermath of Storm Éowyn, which has caused widespread and extensive damage to the country’s electricity infrastructure. As of 12:30pm today, approximately 725,000 homes, farms, and businesses are without power, marking an unprecedented impact on the nation’s electricity network.
The worst of the storm has now passed for most areas, but with Met Éireann’s Status Red and Orange wind warnings still in effect in some parts of the country, further outages may occur as the storm continues its path northward.
Efforts Underway to Restore Power
ESB Networks crews, along with partner contractors, have been deployed where it is safe to do so. They are working to assess damage and restore power as quickly as possible in the face of extremely challenging conditions. However, due to the severity of the damage, ESB anticipates that full restoration of power will take several days, with the worst-affected areas likely to remain without power for over a week.
Estimated restoration times (ERTs) will be made available once crews have completed their assessments of network faults. These updates will be accessible from Saturday on the ESB Networks website, www.PowerCheck.ie.
In the meantime, customers are advised that the ESB Customer Contact Centre will remain operational throughout the storm. However, agents will not be able to provide detailed outage information until assessments are complete.
Public Safety Warning
A critical public safety message has been issued:
If you encounter fallen wires or damaged parts of the electricity network, do not touch or approach them under any circumstances. These wires are live and extremely dangerous. Any such damage should be reported immediately to ESB Networks by calling 1800 372 999.
Customers relying on electrically powered medical devices are advised to contact their healthcare providers to arrange alternative solutions if necessary.
Steps to Power Restoration
ESB Networks has outlined their approach to restoring power following the storm:
- Safety First: Crews prioritise making safe any fallen or low-hanging wires and damaged infrastructure, which may require temporarily switching off certain lines.
- Remote Restoration: Where feasible, power is restored remotely via alternative power lines from the National Distribution Control Centre.
- Network Assessment: Full damage assessments are conducted to systematically restore power.
- High Priority Repairs: Initial repairs focus on high-voltage transmission and medium-voltage distribution lines to restore power to the largest number of customers.
- Low Voltage Repairs: Crews then address the low-voltage network, often serving smaller groups of customers. These repairs are typically time-consuming due to obstacles such as fallen trees, debris, and broken poles.
Technical Issue Resolved
Earlier today, the ESB Networks website, including PowerCheck.ie, experienced technical issues due to unprecedented volumes of traffic. These issues have since been resolved, ensuring customers can access up-to-date information on outages and restoration efforts.
Further updates on the situation will be provided by ESB Networks later today.