Power hoped to be restored by tomorrow morning

AROUND 9000 homes are still without power, said Northern Ireland Electric (NIE) as restoration efforts continue.

The electric provider continues to work on restoring power across the North, with hopes that the majority of lines will be re-established by tomorrow morning.

Alex Houston, NIE Networks Operations Manager, said,  “Our assessment is that the vast majority of properties will be reconnected by tomorrow morning but it’s important to advise that it could be Monday evening at the latest for those circuits impacting very small numbers of customers.

“The yellow alert for wind is still in place until midnight so that has the potential to impact our restoration efforts and cause further damage but we will working to get as many customers restored as quickly as possible. We would again urge people to stay well clear of any broken or damaged electrical equipment and to report any damage immediately on 03457 643 643.”

At its peak, Storm Amy caused a loss of supply to approximately 65,000 customers and a further 5000 customers were affected overnight as continuing heavy winds caused further damage to the network.

Householders may experience interruption or fluctuations to their electricity supply as work is undertaken to restore power to those still impacted.  Employees from the contact centre may also be in contact to check that supply has been restored.

Storm Amy caused approximately 1000 faults to the network including broken overhead power lines, trees fallen on power lines and some broken poles.

If customers experience a power cut they can report the fault online at www.nienetworks.co.uk or call the NIE Networks Customer Helpline on 03457 643 643. Customers can also follow NIE Networks on social media for regular updates.