Storm Éowyn has caused devastation across Northern Ireland with gusts reaching nearly 100mph, the strongest in 27 years,
As the storm subsided frustration and anger began to grow due to a perceived lack of preparedness, with almost a third of properties in Northern Ireland losing power, and around 8,000 still without electricity at the time of writing.
The result of a once-in-a-generation storm… until the next one.
I pay tribute to the engineers who have worked day and night to reconnect us. While Roy’s Keane’s “that’s his job” comment might come to mind, remember that they have lives and family to get back to when normality returns, including the 70 specialists who have come from Great Britain to help.
Perhaps the greatest ire has been caused by news reports of compensation for those who were left without power, only to discover the all too common small print reads “this offer does not apply in Northern Ireland”. NIE Networks is taking the flak here, but is that fair?
NIE Networks is a regulated entity and is governed by rules set by the Utility Regulator. Under the 1992 Electricity Order’s Guaranteed Standards of Service, customers are usually entitled to compensation if their power is off for a prolonged period. However, under the 1999 Standards of Performance Regulations, if the outage is caused by a “severe weather event” NIE Networks is exempt from these payments.
While similar standards apply in Great Britain, Ofgem updated their regulations in 2015 and 2023. The new rules included increased compensation amounts and automatic payments in certain circumstances, including major storms.
Pressure for change in Northern Ireland has come in a storm, but any decision should be made in calm weather. Ultimately the cost of any compensation measure would be borne by the consumer, with Utility Regulator chief executive, John French, estimating £7—£15 as the average cost per bill payer for Storm Éowyn alone.
With the frequency and severity of storms increasing due to climate change, we need to understand the long term forecast of what this might cost in the future.
Alternatively, the Stormont Executive could provide an emergency fund, as it did during Covid, but given the pressure on departmental finances this seems unlikely. While many politicians are shouting ‘something must be done!’, they don’t necessarily mean by them.
The Utility Regulator, which must sign off on any compensation measure, has its own mandate set by the Minister for the Economy. Revisions to take account of climate policy and new and emerging technologies are long overdue. Consultation closed in June on a one-page amendment, which did not go nearly far enough. Even small changes come slowly.
It is not unreasonable to expect the same treatment for Northern Ireland customers as those in Great Britain. However, there are multiple layers to the decision-making process. The fault may be in NIE’s lines, but that doesn’t mean they are to blame.
Steven Agnew is the director of Renewable NI, and a former MLA and leader of the Green Party