Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady has secured an agreement from the ESB to carry out much needed work on the power infrastructure in West Wicklow to address the series of unplanned outages which have been plaguing residents in the area. In the Grange Con, Donard and Stratford areas of West Wicklow, there are approx. 1,500 who are being affected by the outages which are occurring with increasing regularity. Brady is further seeking a management with ESB management to ensure that practices are put in place to ensure that this does not happen again.
Brady said:
“I remain very concerned about this issue. There are 1,500 people impacted by these outages. And it is a lot more than just an inconvenience for people.
There are many residents who rely on electricity to heat their homes, to cook, and to pump water – they are often left without running water and are unable to flush toilets as a result of outages. There are a significant number of people who also work from home several days a week who are being left unable to conduct their business.
I have been in contact with the ESB on the matter who have informed me that the outages have been caused by a number of factors including tree branches striking off the line, bird strikes on transformers, and livestock scratching on pole stay wires, which can cause wire to strike off each other and or transformers to trip out.
I have been told by ESB management that there are five timber related planned switch outs for the following dates to allow ESB crews to remove vegetation in the area which has been causing the problems. These will take place on the7/8/24, when there will be two separate outages; and on 13/8/24 one outage; the 14/8/24 one outage; and the 15/8/24 one outage.
The outage on 14/08/24 will include the replacement of two transformers that have shown signs of bird strikes with two new transformers with lighting arrestors and bird guards installed, and the adjustment of arcing horns on approximately six transformers.
While I don’t doubt the explanations put forward by the ESB, the fact is that the problems outlined here have been going on for several years.
And alongside this, I do not believe that West Wicklow is the only area in the country in which these events occur, yet we are not seeing the same regularity of outages in other areas.
I will be looking for ESB management to outline what process they undertake to maintain the lines in West Wicklow, how often maintenance and remedial work is being carried out, and how often that poles and transformers are being replaced.
The people of these areas, of Grange Con, Donard and Stratford need to see a clear commitment from the ESB that these matters will be resolved, and that they will be resolved permanently. With a commitment from the ESB to conduct regular checks and maintenance in the area to ensure that all power supply infrastructure in the area is being kept at the appropriate standard.