Met Éireann has forecast that Storm Darragh will bring extremely strong and gusty winds from 9pm tonight. As at 3pm, seven counties will be placed under a Met Éireann Status Red wind warning until Saturday morning during which damage to electricity infrastructure is anticipated. Status Orange or Yellow wind warnings will also see potentially damaging gusts across all of the country until tomorrow afternoon so power outages can be expected.
Throughout the day, ESB Networks crews and partner contractors around the country have been making the necessary preparations in advance of the high winds, with teams mobilised. We continually monitor the forecasts and real time events on the electricity network and will deploy our crews to restore supply when it is safe to do so.
ESB Networks crews will mobilise from early morning to assess the full damage of Storm Darragh, making the network safe and restoring electricity supply – and switching customers back remotely where possible. We will update power estimated restoration times as soon as we have assessed the network, and these will be available to view on www.PowerCheck.ie.
On a precautionary basis, ESB Networks would like to ask our customers to consider preparations in the event of losing their electricty supply if their area is affected by Storm Darragh. This could include torches, spare batteries, having phones charged etc.
An Important Public Safety Message: If you come across fallen wires or damaged electricity network, never, ever touch or approach these as they are LIVE and extremely dangerous. Please report any damage to electricity infrastructure by calling 1800 372 999.
Due to the severity of the storm, it is likely that there will be some disruption to water and wastewater services in certain locations, particularly if electricity supply is affected. In response, Uisce Éireann has activated its emergency response processes, including deploying generators at key sites where power outages are likely.
Should there be any impact on water supply, Uisce Éireann will have crews on the ground throughout the weekend to restore supply as quickly as possible.
In the event of a loss of supply, most properties should have adequate storage in their attic tanks for hygiene purposes for at least 24 hours. There are some simple steps people can take to conserve their water, such as avoiding the use of water-intensive appliances during this time. To learn more about conserving water, visit www.water.ie/conserve.
Customers can stay informed about their local water supply by visiting www.water.ie, via Uisce Éireann’s X feed, @IWCare, or by signing up for its free text alert service via the website.
Margaret Attridge, Head of Water Operations with Uisce Éireann, said: "With the red weather warning coming into place for some counties this evening, Uisce Éireann has stood up its emergency management teams and we will be closely monitoring the impact of the storm on water supplies. While we have put contingency measures in place, such as back-up generators, it is likely there will be some disruption to supplies, particularly in locations where power is out. If this happens, our crews will be deployed once it is safe to do so to restore supply as quickly as possible.
"In the meantime I would remind customers to check our website and social media channels for updates and to get in touch with any issues or concerns via our 24/7 customer care centre at 1800 278 278. People can also sign up online to our free text alert system to get updates about their local supplies - see www.water.ie.
