Thousands still without power in Lithuania after severe storm

Tens of thousands of residents in Lithuania are still grappling with power outages following a severe storm that swept across the country. As of Friday morning, energy distributor ESO confirmed that 46,000 of its customers are still without electricity. This outage is a lingering consequence of the storm that caused widespread disruption earlier in the week.

ESO has been working diligently to restore power, with over 1,000 electricians and engineers deployed across the country. The company announced that power has now been restored to 83% of the customers initially affected by the storm. The remaining outages are being prioritized, with ESO aiming to complete the restoration efforts by the end of the week.

To address the prolonged disruptions, ESO has committed to compensating customers whose electricity supply is not restored within 72 hours. The maximum compensation amount under a simplified procedure will be 220 euros. Customers eligible for this compensation will be able to submit their applications through ESO's self-service portal starting in September.

The storm, which hit Lithuania on Saturday, caused significant damage, including fallen trees and injuries. Over 268,000 consumers experienced power supply interruptions at the peak of the storm. In an effort to expedite repairs, several brigades from Poland's energy distribution company 'PGE Dystrybucja' have joined the restoration work since Thursday. The possibility of seeking assistance from Latvia has also not been ruled out. Insurance companies have also reported a substantial number of claims, with at least 5,000 insured events recorded in the aftermath of the storm.