Issued: 5.30pm on Monday, 9th December 2024
ESB Networks has welcomed crews from French counterparts Enedis today at Rosslare Europort who have arrived to assist with power restoration in the aftermath of Storm Darragh. There is longstanding cooperation in place with electricity network operators in Ireland, the UK and France in providing such support. Following Storm Ophelia in 2017, Enedis crews provided considerable support to ESB Networks in our electricity restoration and we were able to assist them in November 2023 following Storm Ciarán, which saw 1.2m customers lose supply in the regions of Brittany and Normandy.
Storm Darragh caused widespread and extensive damage to electricity infrastructure across the country on Saturday 7th December, which impacted 395,000 customers at the peak.
So far, ESB Networks crews and partner contractors have restored power to 375,000 customers impacted by the storm, with approximately 20,000 remaining without power following the storm (as at 5pm today). They will now be joined by 60 skilled personnel from Enedis who arrived this afternoon and will be deployed later today in the worst impacted areas in the North West, Midlands and South East.
James Browne, Minister of State at the Department of Justice with responsibility for International Law, Law Reform and Youth Justice, and H.E. Céline Place, Ambassador of France in Ireland were also in attendance for the arrival of crews at Rosslare Europort.
James Browne, Minister of State at the Department of Justice with responsibility for International Law, Law Reform and Youth Justice, commented: “The impact of Storm Darragh has been felt right across the country and ESB Networks teams have been working around the clock to restore power to those impacted. But given the scale of damage they need support, so I am delighted to be here today to welcome the skilled personnel from their French colleagues Enedis. Last year, ESB Networks travelled to France to assist in the aftermath of Storm Ciarán so it is great to see this reciprocated as part of the longstanding cooperation agreement in place between the electricity network operators.”
Welcoming crews today, Nicholas Tarrant, Managing Director of ESB Networks, commented: “Storm Darragh has been the most damaging storm we have experienced since Storm Ophelia in 2017, during which French crews provided considerable support to ESB Networks in electricity restoration efforts. Our crews and partner contractors have been carrying out incredible work right across the country to continue to safely restore power to as many customers as possible in difficult conditions.
We are delighted to be joined in this effort by our French counterparts Enedis. We have a proud track record of supporting neighbouring countries if requested by electricity network operators following major storm damage. Last year, our crews travelled to France to assist in the aftermath of Storm Ciarán. Due to the severity and significant scale of the damage following Storm Darragh, some customers could be without power for approximately a week so we hope that this will help us to restore power as soon as possible in those worst affected areas“
ENDS/