Electricity in the county before ESB
Waterford had electricity before the establishment of ESB in 1927. ESB’s annual reports record 11 local electricity suppliers in the county — that means 11 individuals or companies who had permits to commercially supply electricity to 3 or more homes and businesses in their local area. The reports do not record when each local supplier was first established, merely the number of consumers they supplied, as well as the year the supplier was acquired by ESB.
Waterford’s 11 local electricity providers were as follows:
- Cappoquin Bacon Factory was in operation before ESB was established in 1927. It supplied 2 homes and businesses in 1929, before the supply was acquired by ESB around 1932—1933.
- Dungarvan Electric Light and Power Co. Ltd. was in operation before 1927. It supplied 325 homes and businesses in 1929, and was acquired by ESB in August 1929.
- Patrick Kiersey began to supply electricity in Kilmacthomas in 1932. He served 24 homes and businesses by 1933, rising to 53 in 1951, when the supply was acquired by ESB.
- The Corporation of Waterford was in operation before 1927. The number of homes and businesses it supplied is unrecorded, and it was acquired by ESB in November 1928.
- Robert A Merry and Co. Ltd. of 5 and 6 The Mall, Waterford, supplied electricity before 1927. They supplied 9 homes and businesses in 1929, when the supply was acquired by ESB.
- Edward O’Grady of 133 Quay, Waterford, supplied electricity before 1927. He supplied 1 home or business in 1929, when the supply was acquired by ESB.
- Robertson, Ledlie, Ferguson and Co. Ltd. of 53 Quay, Waterford, were in operation before 1927. They supplied 1 home or business in 1929, when the supply was acquired by ESB.
- John Kelly of Catherine Street, Waterford, supplied electricity before 1927. He supplied 1 home or business in 1929, when the supply was acquired by ESB.
- L Hutchinson of 63 Quay and 1 Barron Strand, Waterford, supplied electricity before 1927. He supplied 8 homes or businesses in 1929, when the supply was acquired by ESB.
- Thomas Simonis of 118 Quay, Waterford, supplied electricity before 1927. He supplied 5 homes or businesses in 1929, and the supply was acquired by ESB around 1930.
- O’Brien’s Model Bakeries in Patrick Street, Waterford, supplied electricity before 1927. They supplied 4 homes and businesses in 1929, when the supply was acquired by ESB.
Shannon Scheme: connecting larger towns and villages to the national grid
The Shannon Scheme first began to generate electricity for the national grid in October 1929, and began to supply the larger cities, towns and villages of Ireland. From 1929, 9 towns and villages across Waterford were directly supplied by the Shannon Scheme:
- Cappoquin, 1929
- Dungarvan, 1930
- Dunmore East, 1929
- Lismore, 1929
- Passage East, 1929
- Portlaw, 1938—1939
- Tallow, 1929
- Tramore, 1929
- Waterford, 1929
For more information on the connection of these towns, including the number of homes and businesses connected, see our Interactive Map.
Rural Electrification Scheme: connecting rural townlands and villages to the national grid
The Rural Electrification Scheme began in 1946, to bring electricity to Ireland’s rural areas, including smaller villages. During the roll-out of the scheme, Waterford was divided into 21 rural areas (This number includes 4 rural areas that cross Waterford’s county boundaries: Clondulane, Araglin and Glendine, Co Cork; and Powerstown, Co Tipperary). Learn more about the Rural Electrification Scheme.
For more information on the electrification of each rural area in County Waterford, visit our Rural Electrification Archive.
ESB Buildings in Waterford
In 2004 ESB carried out an inventory of its important buildings for its book A Heritage Inventory of ESB Buildings in Ireland.