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Irish Firms May Face Power Cuts at Hour’s Notice, Report Says

Irish Firms May Face Power Cuts at Hour’s Notice, Report Says

Ireland may give companies one hour’s notice to reduce their use of the national power grid under a plan to manage possible energy shortages through winter, the Sunday Independent reported.

The country is at risk of blackouts in the months ahead amid ongoing supply constraints, prompting the government to consider how it will deal with potential scenarios. 

Under the worst case, firms with a back-up generator will be requested to lower consumption within an hour while private homes could have their power cut off, the newspaper reported, citing a briefing note compiled for ministers.

Governments across Europe are facing an unprecedented energy squeeze, which have prompted Ireland’s grid operator more than once this winter to shut interconnectors that send wind power to mainland Britain. The report on Ireland’s emergency planning also comes a week after parts of Dublin were hit with a power cut that plunged swathes of the city into darkness because of a network fault. 

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