A WEST CLARE politician has slammed ESB for passing the financial burden of Storm Éowyn onto its customers while refusing to compensate those without power.
Chief Executive of the ESB, Paddy Hayes on Tuesday said the energy company will not be compensating customers who have been without power for days or have incurred costs for alternative accommodation.
Hayes confirmed that it was likely costs would increase in 2026. “Ultimately, that’s something that gets scrutinised. And in 2026, it’s likely that that will add those charges which are allowed. It will find their way back into the overall cost of our distribution system network”.
Nationally, 18,000 customers across the midlands, west and northwest of the country are still have no power following the storm, which brought record-breaking gusts in excess of 183km/h to the west coast. In Clare, an approximate sixty homes were without power, twelve days after Storm Éowyn.
Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal District, Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) told The Clare Echo, “It is outrageous that ESB Networks is shifting the costs of this disaster onto ordinary customers while refusing to offer even basic compensation to those who have suffered. This decision not only ignores the hardship endured by households but also places an additional burden on businesses, particularly small businesses, that have suffered significant financial losses due to prolonged power outages”.
She pointed out that in other countries, such as Scotland, compensation schemes exist to support those affected by extreme weather events. “People here have been left without power for days, and in some cases nearly two weeks, facing disruption to their daily lives, lost income, financial hardship, and in certain circumstances serious risks to their health and wellbeing. The ESB’s refusal to provide compensation shows a complete lack of consideration for the impact this has had on communities and businesses”.
Doonbeg native Rita questioned ESB’s argument that compensation costs would ultimately be passed on to all customers. “It is a weak excuse to suggest that supporting those worst affected would lead to a burden on all customers. The reality is that the ESB is a state-owned entity with significant financial resources, having reported revenues in the billions and substantial profits over the past number of years. Given its strong financial position, ESB should be prioritising people’s welfare over profit margins”.
She further expressed concerns about ESB’s ability to respond to extreme weather events in the future. “The ESB workers on the ground have been amazing, working long hours in difficult conditions to restore power as quickly as possible. However, the storm has highlighted serious flaws in ESB’s preparedness and infrastructure resilience. While the scale of the damage is unprecedented, the prolonged delays in restoration and the shifting timelines for many affected areas indicate a need for major investment in network resilience”.
Cllr McInerney also criticised the government’s reliance on the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme as an alternative to direct compensation from ESB. “While emergency payments provide some short-term relief, they are no substitute for a structured and fair compensation scheme. The government must ensure that these costs are not passed on to the taxpayers either and also ensure that affected households and businesses are properly supported, rather than allowing ESB to pass back these responsibilities”.
