Storm Eowyn: MLA struggles to contact special NIE emergency line - as public advised to check website for local updates
A Mid Ulster MLA says he struggled to get through to an emergency line for Northern Ireland Electricity as Storm Eowyn caused havoc across the province on Friday – as the SDLP prepares for an urgent meeting with electricity bosses this morning.
On Friday, Patsy McGlone told the News Letter that he had no internet connection and was unable to send emails or access the internet on behalf of constituents – and had also struggled with unreliable phone signal.
Mr McGlone said yesterday: “I eventually got through at 9pm. By that time I had spent a total of over three hours [on] Friday trying to get through.”
The SDLP man said he is now logging all cases by email, as some involve severe medical needs. Homes with life-saving medical equipment such as nebulisers are among those affected.
An NIE spokesperson said “We have been continuously working with our local MLA’s and counsellors including Patsy over the last few days and are meeting with an SDLP delegation on Monday morning”.
A post on Mr McGlone’s Facebook page lists 48 areas in his constituency that are out of power – some of which he acknowledges may now be reconnected.
These covered areas including Magherafelt, Coagh, Ardboe, Loup, Cookstown, Stewartstown, Maghera, Moneymore and Draperstown.
NIE have been contacted for comment. The organisation manages the electricity network in Northern Ireland, but is not a direct supplier.
In a statement yesterday morning it said: “Approximately 101,000 customers remain without electricity with power now restored to 183,000 properties following the devastation caused to the electricity network by Storm Eowyn.”
That figure was later updated to say 75,000 were still without power.
Derek Hynes, managing director of NIE Networks, added: “Our restoration efforts are well under way. We are still visiting locations where damage has been caused and are working on the faults that will get power back to the highest possible numbers of homes and businesses.
“Assessments carried out on the network yesterday have now enabled us to put restoration details on our website”. He said it would be around 10 days before power is fully restored.