Electric Ireland fault could affect up to 4,500 customers

Power company Electric Ireland has said about 100 customers lost electricity as part of a keypad fault that could potentially affect 4,500 customers.

A number of people told BBC News NI they had been without power for more than 48 hours because of the issue.

Christopher Stevens, a father-of-five from Ballymena, said it was "a shambles".

NIE Networks said it was now installing new meters for those who lost power, while Electric Ireland has apologised.

The firm is Northern Ireland's third largest electricity supplier.

The fault affected top-ups purchased between midnight on 30 August and 13:23 BST on 31 August - the firm said the issue meant keypads had been capped at a £10 limit, so anyone who bought a credit of £10 or more in that period could not add it to their meters.

Many customers who tried to do so received a "Credit Hi" message on their meter.

This meant they were unable to enter new top-ups to the meter until Electric Ireland cancelled all previous attempts - leaving some without electricity.

In an new statement on Sunday evening, Electric Ireland said about 100 customers lost electricity due to the keypad fault and that many have had their power restored.

It added that of its 74,000 Northern Ireland customers, it had identified 4,500 keypad meter customers "who are potentially impacted by this issue".

Electric Ireland said it had begun to contact customers by text to let them know what actions were needed to return the meter to normal.

It also warned people not top up their meter unless instructed as that could "delay restoration of their service".

Some customers who had gone days without power were heavily critical of the firm.

Mr Stephens was without power from 17:00 on Friday until Sunday afternoon.

He had to throw out about £250 worth of fresh and frozen food.

"It's just madness... it's a shambles how we've been left... it's been a crisis for me," he said.

"There's the cost-of-living and you're throwing things in the bin just because somebody can't deliver electric to my house, it's not my fault."

Mr Stephens said the lack of power was stressful as his children prepared to return to school on Monday.

"It's depressing, it's stressing...you feel like you're letting your children down, they can't sit in the house, they have to be moved from pillar to post to get washed and everything else, it's just not on."

Mr Stephens also said that communication with Electric Ireland had been poor.

"I'm standing here waiting in the dark to be told what's happening," he added, speaking before his power was restored.

"As soon as I get sorted I'm bouncing... I'll not be back near them again. They're good enough to take the money but they're fairly taking their time to sort the problem out."

Mark Graham, from County Down, has been without power since 15:00 on Friday.

Mr Graham, who lives with with his wife and son in Ballynahinch, said the house was "freezing" because he has also been left without heat.

"The only reason I have charge in my phone is because of my powerbank, which has run out now," he told BBC News NI.

His wife's parents have been bringing them flasks of hot water and the family have been eating takeaway food, "which we can't really afford with the cost of living at the moment".

Communication with Electric Ireland had been "absolutely brutal", he added.

BBC News NI understands Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) Networks doubled the number of on-call engineering teams on Sunday to help reconnect people.

NIE Networks owns the network of lines, poles and substations that takes electricity from power stations to homes and businesses.

It does not generate electricity, nor does it sell power to consumers.

Mr Graham had contacted NIE on Sunday morning but it told him it was prioritising vulnerable customers affected by the Electric Ireland fault.

"That's understandable but at the same time I have a family and we have had no electricity since Friday afternoon, and it's now Sunday," Mr Graham said.

"I don't know how much more we're going to be able to cope."

Later on Sunday, NIE confirmed it was to carry out meter replacements for all affected customers.

"We appreciate that a number of customers have been off supply for some time now and as such additional NIE Networks metering staff have been mobilised to carry out meter replacements for all customers who remain off supply," a spokesperson said.

Another Electric Ireland customer, Kathryn Williamson from Bangor in County Down, also criticised Electric Ireland's communication.

"Today I called NIE and was given another number to Electric Ireland that is not public," Ms Williamson said.

"After 45 minutes I got through and was told they need to send my top-up codes to another business to have them deleted . Then I must wait for a text . Once I get the text I have to ring again to get the go ahead from them to try and top-up.

"This is terrible. No one had even reached out, I had to call.

"The fridge and freezer food will be destroyed soon, I have an autistic child at home who needs appliances for sensory needs, he only eats certain food that must be cooked."