Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has outlined plans to ensure customers enduring prolonged storm-related power cuts receive support payments.

In a Written Ministerial Statement to the Assembly, Dr Archibald reported on the Utility Regulator's review of the Electricity Guaranteed Standards of Service (GSS), which examined compensation arrangements for outages caused by extreme weather.

More than 285,000 homes and businesses lost electricity during Storm Éowyn in January 2025. Under the current GSS rules, no payments were made because a severe weather exemption applies.

The Utility Regulator has completed its review and confirmed it is not proposing any changes to the severe weather exemption or introducing a standard for supply restoration during severe conditions at this time. Dr Archibald said: "While improving the resilience of our electricity network remains the priority, I am setting a clear policy direction today; to remove the severe weather exemption and ensure that customers who experience prolonged power outages as a result of severe weather receive a support payment.

"While I note the Utility Regulator's decision not to recommend a change to the regulations at this time, Storm Éowyn highlighted the need for stronger protections for customers affected by prolonged power outages.

"I have therefore instructed my officials to bring forward policy proposals to remove the severe weather exemption, while minimising costs for all consumers. Detailed proposals will be brought forward within this mandate."

The Minister also noted that NIE Networks is investing significantly to bolster the grid's resilience, aiming to cut the frequency and duration of weather-related power interruptions.