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ESB Networks has announced that power will be fully restored by tonight to all remaining customers affected by Storm Éowyn, 18 days after the initial event.
Since the storm hit on January 24th, electricity has been restored to over 768,000 homes, farms, schools, and businesses to date.
The company has also urged the public to stay alert for any unidentified low-hanging wires and to report them immediately while keeping a safe distance.
Meanwhile, nearly €1.2 million has been distributed through the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (HAS), with approximately 5,700 payments issued to those impacted by the storm. The average payout per claim was €210.
The Department of Social Protection confirmed that its community welfare service continues to accept and process applications for assistance under HAS. Financial support is available for certain expenses linked to power outages, such as costs related to water, heating, and alternative accommodation.
As of last Friday evening, around 5,500 customers were still without power.
The latest development comes after several days ago, ESB Networks confirmed that the cost of repairing damage from Storm Éowyn will not be reflected in customers’ electricity prices this year.
Last week ESB CEO Paddy Hayes faced strong criticism for saying that the storm cleanup operation would likely cost “tens of millions” of euros, which he said would eventually “find their way back into the overall cost of our distribution system network.”
In a subsequent statement, Hayes apologised to those still affected by the aftermath and walked back the comments, saying: “I had absolutely no intention of being insensitive or adding to the stress facing customers at this difficult time.”
He added that it was too soon to determine the full cost of repairs or how they would be covered but clarified: “The costs of repairs from Storm Éowyn will not impact on electricity prices during 2025.”
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