23/06/2004
Strong winds leave 8,000 homes without power
Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) has had engineers working overnight to restore power to over 8,000 homes overnight after strong winds and rain swept across the province.
Structural damage was caused to the electricity network as a result of falling trees and flying debris affecting many towns across Counties Down and Antrim.
Robin Greer, NIE Communications Manager said: "We were on top of the damage caused by the high winds from the start. We had been monitoring the weather situation very closely so our staff were already in position to get customers back on supply as quickly as possible.
"Because we worked to restore people throughout the night, many people probably wouldn't even have known their electricity was off.
"We have invested heavily in our service and our systems have been thoroughly tested, but the reality is that Northern Ireland has a dispersed population and therefore the sort of rural network that is vulnerable to severe conditions, however unseasonal."
The main towns hit by the power cut were Ballykelly, Banbridge, Dromore, Lisnaskea, Ballymena and Dungannon.
The remaining small pockets of customers still off supply this morning are expected to be restored by the end of the day.
(MB)
Structural damage was caused to the electricity network as a result of falling trees and flying debris affecting many towns across Counties Down and Antrim.
Robin Greer, NIE Communications Manager said: "We were on top of the damage caused by the high winds from the start. We had been monitoring the weather situation very closely so our staff were already in position to get customers back on supply as quickly as possible.
"Because we worked to restore people throughout the night, many people probably wouldn't even have known their electricity was off.
"We have invested heavily in our service and our systems have been thoroughly tested, but the reality is that Northern Ireland has a dispersed population and therefore the sort of rural network that is vulnerable to severe conditions, however unseasonal."
The main towns hit by the power cut were Ballykelly, Banbridge, Dromore, Lisnaskea, Ballymena and Dungannon.
The remaining small pockets of customers still off supply this morning are expected to be restored by the end of the day.
(MB)
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NIE works to restore electricity supplies
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NIE works to restore electricity supplies
Areas of Counties Down and Armagh were still without power today following a second night of severe weather across Northern Ireland. Approximately 100 homes in rural areas were still without electricity on Monday morning following the weekend storms, despite engineers' efforts to restore power.
27 June 2008
Rathlin's Big 'Switch' Pulled
Rathlin islanders are at last able to enjoy a dependable supply of electricity. Yesterday, NI Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy officially switched on a new 10.4km subsea electricity cable which extends from Ballycastle to Rathlin Island.
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11 January 2007
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Over 1,000 homes in Northern Ireland have been left without electricity as a result of the overnight stormy weather. The worst hit areas have been Enniskillen, Omagh and Coleraine, which were affected after strong winds brought down power lines.
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HSENI call for caution when working near power cables
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The Health and Safety executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) has renewed its call for strict controls to be put in place by contractors when working under live overhead power cables. The latest call follows the tragic death of a young construction worker on the M1 motorway on December 15.
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:It will be cloudy again throughout the day. Mainly dry in the morning, but patchy drizzle in places, becoming more widespread and persistent in the afternoon. Freshening southwesterly winds. Maximum temperature 12 °C.Tonight:Cloudy with a spell of heavy rain pushing south through late evening and the early hours, followed by some clear spells. Minimum temperature 6 °C.