LAST UPDATE | 7 Feb

ESB CHIEF PADDY Hayes has said that he had “absolutely no intention” of being “insensitive” in comments he made earlier this week, in which he said that costs arising from Storm Éowyn will be passed to customers.

Hayes’ drawback comes following criticism from Tánaiste Simon Harris earlier today. 

Speaking on RTÉ’s Claire Byrne show today, Harris said that there were “very big issues” to be addressed in relation to ESB funding, and criticised the ESB CEO’s comments as being “extraordinarily insensitive”.

He said that he would “appreciate a slightly more sensitive approach in relation to these matters”.

Harris added that there will be added funding provided to local councils to help with repairs, adding that the damage caused by Éowyn will far outweigh the cost of any level of investment”.

Earlier this week, Hayes said that it was “likely that those charges which are allowed there will find their way back into the overall cost of our distribution network.”

He said that the disruption from Storm Éowyn would cost the utility company “tens of millions”, and as a result, he said ESB prices will likely rise in 2026.

In a statement this evening, Hayes said he could only “imagine the hardship” faced by customers who have been without power following the storm, and that his “heart goes out to them”.

“I can understand why, in answering a question about costs, my response might have caused concern,” he continued. “I should have made it clear that it is far too early either to assess the costs of repairing the damage caused by this storm, or to address how those costs will be met.”

The ESB has now clarified that costs of network repairs from Storm Éowyn will not impact on electricity prices during 2025.

In the longer term, the Regulator will review these with ESB Networks before the composition of network charges from October 2026 onwards is determined. 

The number of adverse weather events in Ireland “is going to get worse”, the Tánaiste warned.

Roughly 12,000 homes, farms and businesses remained without power as of yesterday evening, with Harris saying that “everything that can be done is being done to get power restored”.

In his interview on Tuesday, Hayes also ruled out offering compensation for customers impacted by power outages following Storm Éowyn, arguing that any such payments would “ultimately be paid for by all customers”.

“I think the most appropriate place for this, which the government has taken on, is the humanitarian assistance scheme,” said Hayes.

This scheme is open to homeowners in affected areas who do not have any power or water supply, and includes support to pay for alternative accommodation if necessary.

As of last week, the Department of Social Social Protection issued payments to 1,613 homeowners under the scheme, totalling €316,000 – averaging out to just €195.91 per claim.

However, Harris updated the Dáil yesterday to say this has increased to 4,000 claims now paid out, totaling approximately €800,000 – this averages €200 per claim.

Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that ESB networks “have never seen anything like this” in terms of the impact on the power lines and on the grid.

He added that the government would “try and protect the consumer as much as we possibly can”.

Speaking earlier this week, Minister for Climate and Energy Darragh O’Brien said that an enhanced Winter 2025 resilience plan is to be developed within a month, to be implemented by the ESB between March and October.

The minister said a review will see if any investment projects can be accelerated.

‘Extreme conditions’

Elsewhere, a wave measuring over 20 metres tall – almost the length of a tennis court (23.7 metres) – was recorded off the coast of Co Cork as the storm arrived on Friday 25 January.

Another wave with a height of 18.75 metres was recorded by the 45 miles off the Donegal coast as the storm impacted the west coast.

The data was collected by the Irish Marine Data Buoy Observation Network, managed by the Marine Institute in collaboration with Met Éireann, collected data on ocean weather conditions. 

The waves were caused by record breaking wind speeds, with the highest gusts (184km/h) recorded in County Galway and County Donegal.