NORTHERN Ireland’s utility regulator has said all customers could be expected to foot the bill for any compensation payments towards those worst affected by Storm Éowyn.
As of Wednesday evening, 23,500 customers are now six days without electricity with many still facing a wait until February 3.
NIE Networks has said over 1,400 staff have been escalated, with additional workers from other agencies and other resources arriving to support the extensive repairs.
The company said there may be occasions over the coming days when householders experience interruption to their electricity supply.
This may happen as it undertakes “permanent repairs and work to restore all those impacted”.
Employees from our contact centre may also be in contact to check that supply has been restored.
Meanwhile, NI Water said all supplies were back on as of shortly before 6pm. Staff are still making checks, particularly on those supplies dependent on generators, but said all customers should have their water running.
Director of customer and operations, Stephanie McCullagh, thanked everyone involved in a “massive joint effort”.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank local councils, agencies and elected representatives who have been working alongside us to distribute bottled water, assist with access to our sites and help identify vulnerable customers,” Ms McCullagh said.
“This has been a massive joint effort, made much easier by the patience and understanding of the customers impacted. ”
This week, NIE also said talks were ongoing about whether goodwill payments to customers facing extended power cuts was possible.
25,000 customers remain without electricity across Northern Ireland this morning. We continue to work to restore power to all those still affected. Over 1400 staff are escalated, additional staff from other agencies and further resources arriving today to support the repairs. pic.twitter.com/7uyHSnigON
— NIE Networks (@NIElectricity) January 29, 2025
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Speaking to the BBC Nolan programme, the Chief Executive of the Utility Regulator John French said Northern Ireland currently lacked legislation for a compensation scheme - compared to England, Scotland and Wales where customers would have around an extra £15 added on to their bill.
“Nothing’s happened like this since the 1960s, it is a pretty distressing time at the moment,” he said.
Convinced NIE was doing everything possible to progress the repairs, he added that the Economy Minister Conor Murphy had ordered talks to begin on a compensation scheme.
“If we were to run a similar scheme here in Northern Ireland, we would be looking to compensate a quarter of all households.”
“If we were to replicate that in Northern Ireland, that’s what you’d be looking at.”
Asked why it wouldn’t come out of NIE profits, he said this was not typical of regulatory contracts for energy providers.
“If NIE wanted to put their hand in their pocket, that’s up to them. In England, Scotland and Wales they don’t put their hands in the pocket, the consumer pays.”
NIE has issued a scam alert after reports of fake texts and emails from people claiming to be from the company and urging customers to make compensation claims.
“We are not sending these - do not click links or share details. Block & report. Stay Safe,” NIE wrote on social media along with a PSNI hashtag.
