TL;DR: If your lights are out in Ireland, open the PowerCheck map at powercheck.esbnetworks.ie, enter your Eircode, and call ESB Networks on 1800 372 999 to report a new fault or fallen line.

What PowerCheck is and who runs it

ESB Networks owns and maintains the electricity grid in Ireland and runs the PowerCheck service as the single source of truth for outages, according to the guide titled "ESB PowerCheck: Live Power Outage Map by Eircode & Restore Times" published by SolarInfo.ie.

Your electricity supplier handles billing. ESB Networks handles the wires. That division applies whether you are with Electric Ireland, Bord Gáis, SSE Airtricity, Energia, Pinergy, Flogas, or any other electricity supplier, according to that same SolarInfo.ie guide.

For a household, that distinction decides what to do first. Do not call your supplier to fix the wires. Check PowerCheck, then report to ESB Networks if your cut is not already listed.

PowerCheck lists faults, planned outages and estimated restoration times that ESB Networks is currently publishing. The SolarInfo.ie guide states that only outages affecting more than 10 properties appear on PowerCheck, so the true number of small local faults is higher.

Three ways to check an outage by Eircode

1. Use the PowerCheck map

Open the PowerCheck map at powercheck.esbnetworks.ie and enter your Eircode or MPRN to see the fault status and estimated restoration time, according to the SolarInfo.ie guide.

The map shows the same ESB Networks feed that crews use to publish fault and planned-work notices. Enter the full Eircode for the property without power, not a nearby townland, to avoid reading the wrong feeder entry.

2. Use the ESB Networks app

The SolarInfo.ie guide states that the ESB Networks app for iOS and Android carries the same data as the map, with push notifications when your area is affected.

For preparedness, install and test the app before an outage. Save your Eircode and MPRN in a paper notebook as well, because a dead phone battery leaves you without the lookup code.

3. Call 1800 372 999

Ring 1800 372 999 on a 24/7 basis and an agent can confirm the status and estimated time of restoration for your location, according to the SolarInfo.ie guide.

The service is listed as powercheck.esbnetworks.ie for checks and 1800 372 999 for reports. Keep that number on the fridge and in a mobile contact labeled for outages.

How to report a fault or fallen line

Always report a new fault, even if you assume someone else already has, because each report helps ESB Networks pinpoint the affected stretch of network, according to the SolarInfo.ie guide.

If power is out and there is no obvious damage, the guide sets out the same sequence: check the fuseboard, check the PowerCheck map, and if no listed fault appears, ring 1800 372 999.

If the map shows no fault but your power is out, the issue may be inside your home. The guide names a tripped RCD, a blown main fuse, or a meter problem as possible causes and advises checking the fuseboard first before reporting.

A fallen power line is a different case. Ring 1800 372 999 immediately, do not approach, stay at least 20 metres back and keep others away, according to the SolarInfo.ie guide.

The same reporting number appears in ESB Networks materials for emergencies. Do not touch a line, pole, or anything in contact with a line.

What restore times mean this week

Most unplanned faults are restored within 1–3 hours, while storm-related outages can take longer, according to the quick-answer summary in the SolarInfo.ie guide.

Planned interruptions are different. They carry approximate start and finish times and are published in advance so households can plan. ESB Networks states that customers affected by a planned interruption should receive notification at least two working days beforehand, including approximate start and finish times, as reported by DroghedaLife.com in its article titled "East Meath power outages prompt call for ESB assurances."

Planned interruptions involving more than 10 customers are also provided with real-time updates through the company's PowerCheck service, according to that same DroghedaLife.com report.

That 10-customer threshold matters for rural preparation. A single-house fault may never appear on the public map, so a phone report is the only way to start the repair record.

County Limerick: three planned cuts on September 10

Hundreds of homes and businesses were without power across County Limerick on the morning of September 10, with outages focused in two county towns, as reported by the Limerick Post in "Homes and businesses without power in County Limerick towns."

ESB Networks' PowerCheck posted a notice that 202 homes and businesses were without power in Patrickswell that morning since 9:59 a.m., according to the Limerick Post report.

The planned outage was the result of maintenance works, with the utility carrying out essential improvement, and power was estimated to be restored at 5 p.m. that Thursday evening, according to the Limerick Post.

Another 215 homes and businesses in the Newcastle West area were also without power that morning for essential improvements and maintenance works, with restoration estimated for around 6 p.m., according to the Limerick Post.

A further 76 homes and businesses in Bruff were without power for the same reasons, with estimated restoration also set for 6 p.m., according to the Limerick Post.

For households, the lesson is to read the type field on PowerCheck. A planned maintenance entry with a 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. estimate calls for daytime food-safety and work planning, not waiting for a fault crew to discover the problem.

Mountmellick: power cut closed schools and hit water supply

Laois schools, homes and businesses in and near Mountmellick faced loss of water or electricity, or both, on Friday, September 11, forcing some closures, as reported by Ireland Live in "Double outages in Laois town force schools and businesses to close."

ESB Networks planned a power outage in The Rock, 2 km outside Mountmellick, to facilitate refurbishment works on a Medium Voltage overhead line, according to that Ireland Live report.

Approximately 52 customers were to be affected by the outage, which was due to last from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m., according to the ESB Networks statement quoted by Ireland Live.

ESB Networks said it endeavours to send a notification card to all customers at least two days in advance if it must interrupt supply, and said those notifications were issued to affected customers the prior week, according to Ireland Live.

The impact spread beyond homes. Multiple schools told parents they would close, the Sonas community creche also closed, The Rock National School closed on Friday, and the Old Canal gastropub said it was closed for lunch service and would reopen for dinner at 6 p.m., according to Ireland Live.

Uisce Éireann said its possible water outage was due to the electricity outage. It said there was a planned interruption to power in the Rock area of Mountmellick which could affect electricity and water supply locally between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., according to Ireland Live.

Customers registered with Uisce Éireann for the free text alert service would have received a direct notification about the planned interruption, and information was also available in the service and supply section of www.water.ie, according to the utility statement quoted by Ireland Live.

Uisce Éireann advised customers that a power outage could cause supply disruptions to Mountmellick and surrounding areas in Co. Laois, with works scheduled from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on September 11, and recommended allowing 3–4 hours after the estimated restoration time for supply to fully return, according to Ireland Live.

Households on a well pump, electric shower, or electrically fed water booster should treat a daytime power notice as a water notice. Store drinking water before 9:30 a.m. and avoid starting laundry before the evening return window.

East Meath: six outages and September improvement works

Three East Meath communities experienced six significant unplanned outages during 2026, affecting either all or a substantial proportion of the area, according to information provided by ESB Networks to Minister Thomas Byrne and reported by DroghedaLife.com.

The affected communities were Bettystown, Laytown and Mornington, according to DroghedaLife.com.

ESB Networks attributed the outages to a number of separate faults across the local electricity network, according to that DroghedaLife.com report.

Major works aimed at improving capacity and continuity of supply were under way, including projects at Julianstown, and ESB Networks indicated they were expected to be completed by the end of September, according to DroghedaLife.com.

Local TD and Minister Thomas Byrne sought firm assurances that improvement works serving those communities would be completed by the end of September, according to DroghedaLife.com.

"The level of disruption experienced by households and businesses in Bettystown, Laytown and Mornington this year has been unacceptable," Byrne said, as quoted by DroghedaLife.com.

"Six significant unplanned outages in such a short period have caused considerable inconvenience, concern and, in some cases, financial loss," he said, as quoted by DroghedaLife.com.

Byrne also called for residents and businesses to receive clear information about planned interruptions, ongoing works and expected restoration times when faults occur, according to DroghedaLife.com.

"Particular consideration must be given to older people, medically vulnerable customers and businesses that depend on a reliable electricity supply," he said, as quoted by DroghedaLife.com.

Byrne said ESB Networks had explained that the local network was operating in a transitional configuration while improvement works were completed, and he said residents needed more information about measures to reduce further widespread outages during that period, according to DroghedaLife.com.

The recent large-fault record shows why residents pressed for action. A fault affecting 7,183 customers at Julianstown, Co. Meath on September 6 from 16:49 was restored the same day at 18:49, according to the PowerCheck feed log summarized by SolarInfo.ie. A fault affecting 9,163 customers at Crane, Co. Wexford on September 12 from 16:35 was restored the same day at 22:22, according to that same log.

Keep medical devices, heating backup, and business continuity plans ready until scheduled reinforcement is finished, not only on storm days. A transitional network can fail in normal weather.

Household readiness checklist for the next notice

Check PowerCheck first, then check inside the house. Confirm the Eircode entry, note the listed start time and estimate, then inspect the fuseboard for a tripped RCD or main switch before calling 1800 372 999, following the sequence in the SolarInfo.ie guide.

Treat a planned-work card as a full outage day. The Rock notice covered 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., plus 3–4 hours for water to fully return, according to the ESB Networks and Uisce Éireann statements quoted by Ireland Live.

Plan food, work, school pickup and medical needs around the published window plus a buffer. The Limerick estimates ran to 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on the same day, according to the Limerick Post, but household tasks should not assume an exact minute.

Register vulnerable needs and alerts in advance. DroghedaLife.com highlights calls to consider older people and medically vulnerable customers, while Ireland Live notes Uisce Éireann's free text alert service for supply notices.

Sources referenced