Around 75,000 homes across the north remain without power on Sunday afternoon, as NIE Networks warns repair workers will be dealing with ‘challenging conditions’ during the latest yellow weather warning.
A yellow wind warning for gusts of up to 60mph is in place until 7pm, while around 1,000 workers have been engaged to restore electricity supplies “as quickly as possible”.
NIE Networks said that destructive winds from by Storm Éowyn have cause ‘unprecedented’ damage to the electricity network.
On Sunday afternoon, the company shared helicopter footage of ‘extensive damage’ to the network in the Fivemiletown area.
More: Schools may need to move to remote learning on Monday, says Education Minister
There has been extensive damage to the electricity network in the Fivemiletown area - our helicopter has identified sizeable sections that will need repaired. #StormÉowyn #Fermanagh pic.twitter.com/Ceby4uwFE9
— NIE Networks (@NIElectricity) January 26, 2025
In a video posted on X, a large number of trees can be seen to have been brought down on top of electric lines.
The company has now restored power to more than 210,000 customers over the course the weekend despite difficult conditions with overnight ice and snow on both Friday and Saturday.
Derek Hynes, Managing Director of NIE Networks, said: “Our restoration efforts are well underway. We are still visiting locations where damage has been caused and are working on the faults that will get power back to the highest possible numbers of homes and businesses.”
“From what we are seeing so far, we believe that it will be around ten days by the time we complete the repairs needed to get power back to everyone but most customers will be on sooner than that.”
With more than 4,000 locations being impacted by fallen trees and other damage following the storm, widespread power outages have also been impacting schools - the Education Minister has asked some schools to consider moving to remote learning on Monday, if necessary.
Economy Minister Conor Murphy said the 280,000 premises without power at the peak of outages was “unprecedented” and the highest since 1998, when 162,000 lost electricity supply.
He announced the arrival of 52 engineers from England, 30 of which are assisting NIE while 22 are assisting ESB Networks in the south.
Around 330,000 customers in the Republic are still awaiting the return of power on Sunday, with ESB Networks estimating that by Friday this number should be down to around 100,000.
Elsewhere, train services on the Lisburn, cross-border and Bangor lines resumed on Saturday afternoon, while Translink announced on Sunday that the Larne and Derry lines had also reopened following final safety checks.
The Coleraine to Portrush branch from the Derry line remains closed on Sunday, with a bus substitution in place.
On Saturday, Director of Infrastructure and Projects at Translink John Glass said: “The severity of this storm is unprecedented with a litany of infrastructural damage across the network,” said
He added that there had been more than 100 instances of debris and blockages on the network as a result of Storm Éowyn - a number which “far exceeds” previous storms.
Customers are advised to check for updates on their route ahead of making any journeys.
