Customers using generators should also observe the safety precautions and ensure they do not connect a generator to a socket or distribution board. Doing so will create a feed onto the electricity network and will pose a danger to others including repair crews.
ESB NETWORKS CREWS CONTINUE RESTORATION WORK
Details of restoration times are available at: www.esbpowercheck.ie Summary information on towns and villages is available at: http://updatesfromesb.com/
ESB Networks continue working to make the network safe and restore power to customers in the South and Southeast of the country. By working from dawn to well past dust since Hurricane Darwin and through the weekend ESB Networks crews had restored supply to over 260,000 homes and businesses. However a number of new major faults in Kilmore Quay, Ballyheigue, Co Kerry, Pallasgreen, Limerick, and Kildorrery, Co Cork as well as other new faults due to the high wind and rain last night leaving 19,000 customers. Again today wind and rain are hampering the restoration process.
While the effort to clear all the safety hazards, primarily caused by trees falling on the network, continues to be our highest priority ESB Networks ask the public not to go near fallen lines and in particular to warn children of this danger as they may be outside playing during mid term break. ESB Networks technicians have observed a number of extremely dangerous and worrying incidents where members of the public have put themselves in danger by rolling up broken conductor and either placing it at the bottom of a pole or taking putting it in a nearby ditch. Some of our lines have are coated in PVC but are NOT INSULATED.
Customers using generators should also observe the safety precautions and ensure they do not connect a generator to a socket or distribution board. Doing so will create a feed onto the electricity network and will pose a danger to others including repair crews.
ESB Networks thanks customers who have already reported dangerous situations our emergency line: 1850 372 999 or report on-line at: report-damage-to-esb-networks
The restoration will continue well into the week as the number of customers with power restored per fault repaired reduces considerably. ESB Networks have over 5000 faults still to address, over 95% to these are isolated faults impacting on less than 3 customer per fault. The areas with the most customers remaining without power are the surrounding areas of: Tralee, Dunmanway, Killarney, Fermoy, Newcastlewest, Tipperary and Enniscorthy.
The additional rain and wind last night makes the task more difficult as access to fix the network continues to be very difficult. Some of the damage and difficult conditions can be seen in some of the photos that have been taken as part of the damage assessment, click Photos here.
Customers without power can check for updates on when their fault is expected to be repaired at: www.esbpowercheck.ie, via Twitter at @ESBNetworks or telephone 1850 372 999 and have their MPRN available to access recorded information specific to their location. Updates will also be communicated via local radio.
The following is the distribution of customers without supply across the country. While great efforts continued over the weekend to get as many customers supply restored as possible, there is still a huge level of repair to be carried out to faults on our LV network:
· Bandon: Power has been restored to 2100 homes and businesses since Friday Evening; 300 remain without electricity
· Fermoy: Power has been restored to 4850 homes and businesses since Friday Evening; 1050 remain without electricity
· Killarney: Power has been restored to 3520 homes and businesses since Friday Evening; 980 remain without electricity
· Dunmanway: Power has been restored to 4660 homes and businesses since Friday Evening; 1340 remain without electricity
· Cork City: Power has been restored to 300 homes and businesses since Friday Evening; 115 remain without electricity
· Portlaoise/Kilkenny: Power has been restored to 3150 homes and businesses since Friday Evening; 450 remain without electricity
· Waterford/Clonmel: Power has been restored to 5450 homes and businesses since Friday Evening; 550 remain without electricity
· Newcastlewest: Power has been restored to 6200 homes and businesses since Friday Evening; 2800 remain without electricity
· Tralee: Power has been restored to 6330 homes and businesses since Friday Evening; 2670 remain without electricity
· Thurles: Power has been restored to 3730 homes and businesses since Friday Evening; 2970 remain without electricity
· Roscrea: Power has been restored to 6586 homes and businesses since Friday Evening; 150 remain without electricity
· Ennis: Power has been restored to 5520 homes and businesses since Friday Evening; 1480 remain without electricity
· Limerick: Power has been restored to 2910 homes and businesses since Friday Evening; 390 remain without electricity
· Enniscorthy: Power has been restored to 7000 homes and businesses since Friday Evening; 2700 remain without electricity
ESB Networks is reminding customers of the precautionary measures to take in the event of a power cut:
- never approach broken lines or damaged poles, and keep children and animals away – report damage to ESB Networks at 1850 372 999 and listen to recorded messages carefully
- turn off electric cookers, ovens, irons, etc. if electricity supply is lost
- leave a light switched on so you know when power has been restored
- take extra care if using candles, oil lamps or other naked flames
- test smoke alarms with fresh batteries
- ensure adequate ventilation if using gas heaters.
ESB Networks advises customers that all those involved in the clean up operation, especially if clearing trees/timber or other debris, should be especially careful to avoid overhead lines and fallen wires. Following Storm Darwin, one of the worst storms to on record to hit Ireland, over 8,000 faults have been recorded across the electricity network. Many of these present hazards to the public. Wires should not be approached or touched in any circumstances. These wires may be live and can be extremely dangerous. If customers have information on network faults that pose a risk to the public, please contact 1850 372 999. Information on damage to the network may also be logged on our website at report-damage-to-esb-networks.
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