ESB Networks proudly serves and connects homes, farms and businesses throughout the country. ESB Networks has a strong relationship with each of the communities it serves and it looks forward to the opportunity to meet customers at the upcoming National Ploughing Championships.

As part of the event, ESB Networks will showcase its key projects and activities in safety, customer service, community engagement and innovation.

The Dingle project

Launched in April 2018, the Dingle project is a first-of-its-kind initiative for Ireland and provides a glimpse into the future of smart electricity.

ESB Networks has chosen the Dingle Peninsula as the location for this highly innovative three-year project, which will see the deployment of a range of new technologies to assist in the development of a smart, resilient, low-carbon electricity network of the future.

Hands for Life

ESB Networks and Abbott, in partnership with the Irish Heart Foundation, are offering people and communities throughout the country an opportunity to learn the life-saving skill of CPR, through the Hands for Life community CPR training programme. Over the course of the two-year programme, the aim is to train 100,000 in CPR, with CPR training courses taking place in communities throughout Ireland.

At the ESB Networks stand at the National Ploughing Championships, ESB Networks is encouraging people to join the mission to create a nation of life-savers by signing up to a Hands for Life community CPR training course in their local area.

Staff will assist you in signing up and will also answer any questions about the Hands for Life community CPR training programme.

Smart metering

This autumn ESB Networks’ smart metering programme starts rolling out across homes, farms and businesses in Cork and Laois. The nationwide phased rollout will see 250,000 meters replaced by the end of 2020 and all meters replaced by 2024. Members of the smart metering team will be on hand to speak with attendees about the smart metering programme.

VR experience

ESB Networks has 1,490 network technicians working throughout Ireland every day of the week to ensure that customers – and their homes, farms and businesses – stay connected.

As part of the VR experience, ESB Networks is asking members of the public if you have what it takes to be a network technician. It is offering the chance to take part in a virtual reality experience, putting yourself in the boots of an ESB Networks network technician as they go to work to restore power quickly and safely during a storm.

Customer care and engineering officer advice

ESB Networks connects and serves over 2.3m homes, farms, businesses and communities, with customers at the heart of everything it does. At the Ploughing, members of the customer care team and engineering officers will be there to help with any queries people may have regarding their electricity connections.

Public safety

Safety is a key priority for ESB Networks. A vital element of the organisation’s role is to raise awareness among the public about the dangers of coming into close contact with the electricity network.

Across the three days, ESB Networks public safety manager Arthur Byrne will be available to speak to those who may be looking for advice on how to stay safe when at work on the farm.

ESB Networks will also be showing farm safety week videos, produced in partnership with the Irish Farmers Journal. These videos feature those who have been affected by farm accidents. They were produced to educate others on the importance of staying safe on the farm.

Live line switching

Ensuring that customers have access to a reliable and quality supply of electricity is crucial.

With over 2.3m customers and 2.3m poles supporting the overhead electricity network, there is almost one pole for each electricity customer in Ireland. Each day, highly trained and skilled network technicians climb these poles to operate and maintain the system.

Where possible, specially trained live line network technicians carry out this work while the network is live so that customers do not have to lose supply while essential work is carried out.

Every safety precaution is taken to ensure that technicians are safe and trained extensively and continuously in order for them to be able to carry out this very specialised work.

Over the course of the Ploughing, there will be a live line demonstration, each day at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.

ESB Networks looks forward to welcoming you to its stand located at Block 4, Row 18, Stand 393.

Farm safety model

Through the farm safety model, young farmers will be asked to spot the safety hazards on the farm. Boys and girls will have the chance to drive model tractors, as pictured, around a purpose-built farm model, while looking out for the various safety hazards.