ESB says customers should make preparations for being without power for a number of days.
190,000 homes and business are without supply this morning and crews are being assisted by staff from Northern Ireland Electricity in an effort to have power restored.
The worst affected areas are in the South and South West.
ESB is warning it will be late into this evening before electricity is restored to most customers and a large number of homes and business will still be without power tonight.
The company says "surveys of the damage show there are many trees down across lines, lines down, broken poles and equipment damage as result of flying debris and transformers which need replaced. Particularly in this storm, much of the high voltage network was impacted and much of the work to restore this has already been undertaken. For example damage caused faults in 54 high voltage substations (each providing supply to 5,000-20,000homes and businesses) all these faults have now been cleared apart from one station."
supplied with live up to date information as it is received. Our National Customer Contact Centre is open 24/7 to report faults at 1850 372 999.
ESB Networks is asking customers to take the following safety advice:
- ESB Networks reminds customers not to approach any broken lines or damaged poles and to keep children and animals away. Any fallen wires or emergency situations should be reported immediately to ESB Networks at 1850 372 999.
- When contacting the National Customer Care Centre, please your Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) ready (you will find this on your electricity bill from your supplier.
- Never approach broken lines or damaged poles, and keep children and animals away – report damage to ESB Networks on 1850 372 999 and listen to recorded messages carefully
- If you are using a generator, be careful where you site it in case of carbon monoxide poisoning
- 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.
Mike Fitzgerald from ESB says the damage has been unprecedented and they are using all the resources they can to repair the damage as quickly as possible.
Customers can check ESB Networks Powercheck app, http://www.esbpowercheck.ie, to see if their outage has been identified and logged.
The ESB twitter feed @ESBNetworks will be supplied with live up to date information as it is received. The National Customer Contact Centre is open 24/7 to report faults at 1850 372 999.
