Rural Electrification & Network Renewal.

The Rural Electrification Scheme which was started over sixty four years ago has been described as the greatest social revolution in Ireland since the Land Reforms of the 1880's and 1890's which gave farmers the right to purchase their land. A Rural Electrification Report, prepared by the Board at the request of the Government was published by the Oireachtas in 1945 but implementation of the scheme could not have commenced until 1946 because of war-time shortages
• Despite the supposed conservatism of farmers, Rural Ireland responded enthusiastically to the opportunity offered for development.

• The advent of electric power utterly transformed rural life in all its aspects - economic, social, and cultural.

• The ready availability of power made possible a rapid expansion in both agricultural and industrial output in rural areas.

• It can probably be claimed, too, that without the benefit of a widespread rural supply system, Ireland would have been unable to contemplate membership of the European Economic Community.
 

The Rural Electrification Programme was planned on an area basis and for this purpose the country was divided into 792 areas, priority being given to those areas which yielded the highest revenue in relation to the capital cost of the supply network. The Scheme quickly gathered momentum but there were fluctuations in the pace at which it subsequently proceeded, due mainly to changes in Government policy from time to time. In 1955, for example, subsidy was withdrawn by the Government and not restored until 1958. In 1962 the Government decided to accelerate the programme by increasing the subsidy from 50% to 75% for a period of five years. In pursuance of this policy the Board undertook an intensive campaign (including a re-canvass of unconnected houses) to bring supply to as many houses as possible in the period. This scheme, known as Planned Post - Development was so successful that by 1965, almost 300,000 rural houses (81% of the total) were connected to the supply system at a total cost of £36 million.

The rapid economic developments of the 1960's had, however, created such a surge in demand for new connections in rural areas that by 1970, it had become evident the completion date for the Rural Scheme as a whole was a receding target. The Board took the initiative in formulating new proposals aimed at completing the Scheme by 1975. This third stage was completed in the late seventies bringing expenditure on the Scheme to about £90 million by which time it was estimated that about 98% of all homes in the country had supply.

In the earlier part of this decade the Irish economic performance was very buoyant and the level of sustained growth achieved was unprecedented with the result that the Irish economy was given the title the "Celtic Tiger". During the last five to six years many of the electricity networks erected by ESB in the days of Rural Electrification have been replaced and upgraded. ESB is continuing to invest heavily to upgrade the existing network and is actively planing for future requirements well into the next century. The "Network Renewal Project" started in Yr 2004 and now is almost complete at a cost of €6 billion presented many similar challenges to the development of the original Scheme but every opportunity was taken to organise the work so as to minimise supply interruptions for customers and disturbance to farm activities.

This level of investment was not only necessary but it will prove to be hugely important to the economies and social life of midland counties and counties located on the western seaboard. The capital investment programme was also critical in ensuring that ESB can continue to deliver a first class service to all its customers.


Brendan Delany ESB Archive & Heritage Manager