Over 19,000 affected by power cuts

An analysis of the statistics demonstrates the damage caused by the Easter snow and ice storm.

In total, 1,141 individual faults had to be repaired and 125 kilometres of overhead line rebuilt across Northern Ireland. This is the equivalent of constructing a line from Belfast to Londonderry in five days.

In Coleraine 162 faults were detected and 19,373 customers affected.

These statistics have been presented to the Utility Regulator and the Consumer Council to provide them with an understanding of the work undertaken by NIE from March 30 to April 4.

Due to the extreme circumstances and the quick and comprehensive restoration efforts undertaken by Northern Ireland Electricity, the Utility Regulator has agreed an exemption on its regulated framework of customer standards for this extreme weather event.

The company is therefore not required to make payments to customers however it has offered to pay goodwill to anyone still without electricity on Easter Sunday.

These customers will receive a letter within the next week to confirm this and payments by cheque will follow automatically. NIE will be paying almost 100,000 in goodwill payments.

NIE will also be making donations to voluntary groups who were an integral part of efforts to support members of the local community during the event.

Roy Coulter, Safety Manager at Northern Ireland Electricity said, “I have been involved in every major restoration effort that NIE has undertaken in the last 30 years and have never known anything like the Easter snow and ice storm.

“Due to the driving northerly winds, ice stuck to and brought down many of our lines running east-west. I spent a lot of time around the Cloughmills area which was completely devastated – poles were snapped and recently refurbished power cables brought down as if they were clothes lines.”