ESB Pole Drama...Thoughts

chonchubhair 1987

Hi there, my partner and I have recently been granted planning permission in Wicklow, one of the conditions of the planning permission is that two ESB poles on our site be moved before the commencement of any building work. Anyways we have been in touch with the ESB and forwarded all relevant documentation and today we met with one of their staff on site who outlined to us that we had two options:

1. They will move the poles for free but to an area which has been specified by them which will result in my partners brother's view being restricted from his house.

2. We ourselves will have to dig trenches at the side of our site and they will move the lines underground at a unspecified fee of a "few" thousand euro, plus solicitors fees on top of that to have the OS maps changed to show same.

The 1st option is a non runner as it would be unfair to do that that to my partners brother and were really not in a position to hand out a couple of thousand €'s. Our savings are going to be demolished with council fees, solicitors fees, engineers fees and water and ESB connection fees. We really cant afford another hit, however if it has to be done it has to be done.

Have you any advice etc or do we just have to suck it up and hand over the money??

Also I don't know if this might make a difference but one of the said poles goes on fire every couple of months and the ESB are well aware of it as they send out a repair team whenever it happens.

con1982

ESB Networks have a strong bargaining position. They are a monopoly. If you want to get things sorted in the short term, I would pick one of the options that they presented.

You could challenge them regarding what you may deem to be a faulty pole, but you will only prolong the process. You will also drop down their list of priorities.

homewardbound11

Got mine under ground. As you said we dug the ground . Put in all ducting . Esb put the cables in and connected.

chonchubhair 1987

homewardbound11 wrote: »

Got mine under ground. As you said we dug the ground . Put in all ducting . Esb put the cables in and connected.

Was it expensive??....if you don't mind me asking!!

homewardbound11

chonchubhair 1987 wrote: »

Was it expensive??....if you don't mind me asking!!

Free if I remember . The trench and ducting I paid for.

hexosan

homewardbound11 wrote: »

Free if I remember . The trench and ducting I paid for.

I have to get a pole moved as well it's in the way of my shed, ESB were out not charge I just dug a trench to where I wanted it moved to and they'll come and do the rest.
Not sure how true this is but the ESB fella said if it's in your way for planning they have to move it free of charge.

galwaytt

Iirc ESB rely on wayleave to have cables and pikes on your property, so moving them is as much in their interest as yours. No wayleave and they have to move them anyway. ... At their expense. .