Ballybough Update
Loss of gas supply to local residents
A significant water leak in the Ballybough area of Dublin impacted on the gas network locally, which was first identified on the 23rd of January. Removing the water from the pipeline was a complicated and slow process. However, as of now (Sunday, 2nd February at 6.00pm) we have fortunately been able to restore gas supply to over 840 homes.
Restoration of Service
We have a small number of remaining properties that require our crews to access the homes to reconnect the gas supply. The most efficient way to restore multiple premises is through a house-to-house campaign, with any unoccupied homes being addressed through a follow-on appointment process.
Our crews must make each pipe and connection safe and then call to each affected home individually to safely turn their gas supply back on.
It is critical that this is carried out by a properly trained individual to ensure a safe restoration of gas supply. We ask customers to not attempt to turn on their gas but await Gas Networks Ireland personnel to do that when the water is fully removed.
If a customer is not at home when we call to the door, we will leave a branded, “Sorry we missed you”, contact card with details for people to get in touch. Customers can also speak directly to a crew member onsite and let them know that they missed the initial house call. We will remain in the area until this exceptional circumstance is fully resolved.
The Incident
This issue was identified on Friday 23rd January, when several customers called Gas Networks Ireland to report a lack of gas supply.
First Response Fitters were dispatched to determine the cause of the loss of supply and determined that there was a significant amount of water in the local gas network.
Response Crews were dispatched to excavate and identify the source of the water, which was identified to be a leaking water main. Uisce Éireann worked overnight on Saturday 24th January and into Sunday to repair the water leak. This repair was completed but because of these exceptional circumstances, there remained a significant volume of water in the gas network in the area, impacting some 840 customers.
GNI Operations Activities
On Friday January 23rd, we dispatched multiple crews who have been working daily including last weekend and again this bank holiday weekend, to resolve the issue, which arose through exceptional circumstances.
Extensive works have been carried out and are ongoing as we reconnect the final few remaining properties. Planned work elsewhere was deferred to free up additional crews and staff members to work in the Ballybough area to ensure that we are able to safely restore gas supplies to customers as quickly as possible.
We have given out over 1,000 heaters and we have provided alternative cooking equipment to houses in the area. Our incident van was on site each day and can provide the most accurate and up to date information about the status of the works. Crews and fitters continue to liaise directly with gas customers locally, but customers should engage with personnel at our incident van and/or our customer care line to get the most accurate information available.
There are many steps that are crews need to take to restore the gas supply:
- Identify the individual sections of pipes where the water is located,
- Isolate the impacted sections,
- Determine the lowest points of the main network, and individual services that can be used as drainage points,
- Excavate multiple drainage point locations on the network,
- Assemble tee pieces at each location, to enable the water to be drained,
- Ensure pipes once clear of water have dried out, are serviceable and are made safe,
- Appoint a trained fitter to then call to each individual connection, to safely purge and relight the individual gas service to safely restore the supply of gas to the home.
Vulnerable Customer Supports
A registered vulnerable customer list was collated and shared with onsite staff. Our crews called to all registered vulnerable customers to communicate the issue, provide reassurance and to offer alternative heating and cooking equipment.
Our crews also proactively called to homes in the affected area, identified additional unregistered customers who needed to be prioritised, and these customers were also offered alternative heating and cooking equipment.
Over 1000 heaters and hobs have now been distributed through direct door to door engagements and through distribution at central locations within the community.
Where customer and communications channels have identified or received information about a customer in need of help, these are provided to crews who are calling to that customer’s home, to determine and provide the assistance required.
If you are a vulnerable customer and are not registered or are aware of a vulnerable customer that needs additional support, please call our contact centre on 1800 464 464.
We realise and acknowledge the impact that this issue had on customers, and we thank them for their patience. We are doing everything that we can to rectify this issue.