Close 
Close
Press Release – 21 January 2026.
A new nationwide survey has revealed deep concern among Irish households about losing electricity during severe weather events, with the vast majority saying power cuts cause stress, disruption and uncertainty and many admitting they are poorly prepared for extended outages.
The research, conducted by Irish solar company Ohk energy, surveyed 262 homeowners across Ireland and comes as storms become more frequent and severe, placing increasing strain on the national grid.
The survey was conducted to mark the launch of Ohk energy’s Storm Konnect, its new solar, battery and generator bundle, designed to power your home even when there is a power outage in your area.
The findings show that 84% of respondents are concerned about losing power during storms, with 34% saying they are very concerned and a further 50% somewhat concerned. Only 3% said they were not concerned at all.
Power cuts are also taking a clear emotional toll. Nearly seven in ten people (70%) described outages as stressful, with 32% calling them extremely stressful and 38% moderately stressful.
The survey highlights the real-world impacts of outages on daily life. Respondents reported experiencing: Internet or phone outages (82%), Loss of heating or cooling (78%), Spoiled food (43%), Inability to work from home (39%), and Medical or safety concerns (16%). Only 5% said they had not experienced any of these issues during a power cut.
When asked which device they would be most concerned about not working during an outage, freezers (34%) and fridges (27%) ranked highest, followed by phones (16%) and lights (14%).
But despite these widespread concerns and the increasing threat of more extreme weather events, preparedness remains low. Just 4% of respondents said they felt very prepared for an extended outage, while 56% said they were not very prepared or not prepared at all.
Confidence drops further when considering multi-day outages. Only 10% said they would feel very confident, while 41% said they would not be confident or not confident at all.
The survey also points to growing demand for energy independence. More than eight in ten respondents (81%) said they would be more likely to invest in solar if it came as part of an off-grid or backup power solution that could keep their home running during outages.
Gearoid Whelan, CRO at Ohk energy, said: “Storms are no longer a once-a-year inconvenience, they’re becoming a regular source of anxiety for households and they’re set to become even more frequent. Our research shows people are increasingly worried and feel exposed when the grid goes down.
“This is why we’ve invested in Storm Konnect. We’ve listened to our customers and we want to help households stay powered, protect essentials, and remain connected even when the wider network fails.”
Learn more about Storm Konnect.
