03457 643 643
NIE Networks fault line
Free, 24/7
NIE Networks
Your DNO
serves Ards and North Down
3+
towns covered
incl. Bangor, Newtownards, Holywood
Utility Regulator
NI standards body
Overall Standards apply
Live outage map for Ards and North Down
The map shows incidents reported by users in real time, centred on Ards and North Down. Zoom in on your street to check whether a cut is your home only or a wider network fault — when neighbours are also dark, it is a NIE Networks job.
Ards Peninsula running south to the Mull of Galloway, Strangford Lough on the west, and the North Down coast on the Belfast Lough side. Irish Sea storms hit the Ards Peninsula directly; Strangford Lough tidal flooding compromises low-lying substations on the west shore.
Live Power Outages in the UK
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Reports across Ards and North Down
Logged by residents of the county in the last 24 hours.
No resident has logged a cut in Ards and North Down in the last 24 hours. Our feed only knows what people tell it, so an unreported fault is still possible. For the confirmed picture, check the NIE Networks Powercheck with your postcode, then add your report so your neighbours can see it.
Report a power cut in Ards and North Down
Seeing a cut the map hasn't caught yet? Add it in seconds. Your report is anonymous and appears on the live map above so neighbours in Ards and North Down know what's going on.
Thank you. Your report has been submitted and will help others in Ards and North Down.
Reports are anonymous. We use your address to place the marker on the map and never display your personal details.
Power cuts by town in Ards and North Down
Pick your town for local outage reports, the live map and your network operator's fault line.
Your village is not on the list? Ards and North Down has far more settlements than we hold pages for, and they all sit on the same NIE Networks network: the number to call is the same 03457 643 643, and the live map above covers the whole county — zoom in on your postcode. For a street-level answer on a hamlet, enter your full postcode in the NIE Networks Powercheck.
Why the power goes out in Ards and North Down
Ards and North Down covers the Ards Peninsula and the affluent coastal towns of North Down, from Bangor to Donaghadee. NIE Networks runs the entire network. Ards Peninsula running south to the Mull of Galloway, Strangford Lough on the west, and the North Down coast on the Belfast Lough side.
Weather and terrain. Irish Sea storms hit the Ards Peninsula directly; Strangford Lough tidal flooding compromises low-lying substations on the west shore.
How the network is run. NIE Networks operates from a Bangor depot. The North Down coast has been progressively re-cabled in heritage areas.
A local quirk worth knowing. Strangford's twin tidal turbines (decommissioned) once fed into the local network — the area is now being explored for new tidal generation in the lough.
What to do when the power goes out at home in Ards and North Down
Check whether neighbours are affected
Look at the street lights and the houses opposite. If they're on, your fault is inside your home — check the consumer unit. If they're out too, it is a NIE Networks network fault: call 03457 643 643.
Dial 03457 643 643
Have your full postcode ready. Ask the operator for an estimated time of restoration (ETR) and a fault reference number — both make any later compensation claim faster.
Unplug sensitive electronics
Unplug TVs, routers, computers and consoles to protect them from a surge when supply returns. Leave one light switched on so you'll know visually when the power is back.
Log start and end times
Ofgem's Guaranteed Standards do not apply in Northern Ireland: NIE Networks answers to the Utility Regulator's Overall Standards instead. Keep a written log of the start and end times with your full postcode, then ask NIE Networks what payment your case attracts.
The Selectra expert answers your questions on power cuts in Ards and North Down
Always to your Distribution Network Operator, not your supplier. In Ards and North Down that is NIE Networks. Dial 03457 643 643 (NIE Networks fault line) — free, 24/7.
Irish Sea storms hit the Ards Peninsula directly; Strangford Lough tidal flooding compromises low-lying substations on the west shore. NIE Networks operates from a Bangor depot. The North Down coast has been progressively re-cabled in heritage areas.
There is no county-wide average worth quoting: a fault on an urban underground cable is often back within an hour or two, while an overhead line down in open country after a storm can take most of a day. The number that matters is the estimated time of restoration (ETR) NIE Networks publishes for your specific fault — ask for it when you call 03457 643 643, or read it off the NIE Networks Powercheck after entering your postcode. Planned cuts are announced in advance and normally run 2 to 8 hours.
Northern Ireland sits outside Ofgem's remit, so the Guaranteed Standards of Performance that apply in Great Britain do not apply here. NIE Networks is held to the Overall Standards set by the Utility Regulator instead. Record the exact start and end times of the cut together with your full postcode, then ask NIE Networks on 03457 643 643 what payment your case attracts.
NIE Networks announces planned cuts by letter (and increasingly text or email) 2 to 8 days in advance. Most run 8am to 6pm and last 2 to 8 hours. Planned cuts do not qualify for compensation unless your operator failed to give adequate notice.
Power cuts in nearby areas
Other counties close to Ards and North Down — useful if your storm or fault crosses council boundaries.
Belfast
NIE Networks
Lisburn and Castlereagh
NIE Networks
Mid and East Antrim
NIE Networks
Antrim and Newtownabbey
NIE Networks
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
NIE Networks
Newry, Mourne and Down
NIE Networks
Causeway Coast and Glens
NIE Networks
Mid Ulster
NIE Networks
Other counties served by NIE Networks
Same operator, same emergency number, similar restoration patterns and compensation framework.