Around 25,000 energy customers are still without power on the island of Ireland more than a week on from Storm Éowyn.
Power has been restored to 743,000 homes, farms, schools, and businesses however, 25,000 customers remain without supply. The worst remaining impacted areas are Sligo, Galway, Mayo, Leitrim, Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan, Longford and Roscommon.
The vast majority of schools now have power restored and will reopen as normal tomorrow.
At the peak, over 300 schools across the country were without power.
The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) met again today. In an update this afternoon, it said that “very good progress has been made in terms of restoring power to schools”.
Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, regional manager with ESB Networks Siobhán Wynne said the number of schools still without power should be significantly smaller by tomorrow.
She said “about 150 schools” were impacted, adding the “figure has greatly reduced this morning”.
ESB Networks, she said, is “looking to restore supply to them or to deploy generators”.
“We are hopeful that as of tomorrow morning, it will only be a small number of schools that will be impacted,” she said.
Meanwhile, 400 premises remain without water while significant progress has been made in restoring telecommunication services.
7-Day Weather Forecast: 3rd – 9th February
Customers who remain without power will progressively have their supply restored over the course of the week.
Skilled technicians from Austria, Finland, France, Great Britain, Germany, Netherlands and Norway are on the ground in the worst impacted areas.
In the areas with the largest number of faults, as ESB Networks make progress to repair the extensive damage, some customers may see their estimated restoration times change over the coming days. ESB Networks has advised customers to visit www.PowerCheck.ie, where estimated restoration times will continue to be updated.
In a statement this afternoon, the NECG said that several large-capacity generators are being provided by Poland and Denmark, following a request under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
“The generators are being deployed to support ESB Networks, Uisce Éireann and telecommunications operators to bring power, water, phone and broadband services back to homes, schools and businesses.”
The NECG will meet again tomorrow.
The ESB said resources at the customer contact centre have been doubled to accommodate the “unprecedented high volumes of calls” in order to shorten response times.
“ESB Networks is reinforcing its vital warning around public safety as we are into day seven of the restoration of supply following Storm Éowyn,” a spokesperson said.
“We still have many faults on the electricity network and have been made aware of several instances of potentially very dangerous incidents where members of the public have unknowingly approached fallen electricity infrastructure, particularly in the worst impacted areas of the country.
“Following a significant weather event like Storm Éowyn, fallen debris can prevent people from seeing hidden risks such as wires entangled into trees and branches.”
They acknowledged the disruption to family and commercial life that efforts have caused and thanked customers who remain without power for their patience.
Those who come across fallen wires or damaged electricity network have again been warned to “never, ever touch or approach these as they are live and extremely dangerous”.
Any damage to electricity infrastructure should be reported by calling 1800 372 999.