Trinity offers lamps to students in event of blackouts

Trinity College Dublin is to provide on-campus students with lamps for use in the event of electricity blackouts in Dublin this winter. The college said the move was “a precautionary measure” in the interests of the safety of students.

The lamps are to be offered to some 600 students resident in the city centre campus and a further 900 who are resident in halls of residence in Dartry. In the academic year 2022/2023, student numbers at the college will exceed 20,000 for the first time. The vast majority of students live off-campus, either at home or in private rented accommodation.

A spokesman for the college said “we understand that there is some risk of blackouts this coming winter as commented on by the media. Should that happen we want to make sure our campus residents have backup lighting.”

In an email to college tenants the college authorities said: “You may be aware from media reports that electricity suppliers in Ireland have advised of the possibility of power outages this winter. For your safety, the university has purchased a battery-powered lamp for each individual resident. Your lamp will be supplied with batteries, however, it is your responsibility to check your lamp regularly and purchase your own replacement batteries” the email advised.

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Trinity College has an existing prohibition on the use of candles in rooms, many of which are several hundred years old.

In the event of power shortages it is likely that homes and businesses would be first affected.

Eirgrid has confirmed that “social and economic growth; the reliability of an ageing fleet of conventional generators and the failure of contracted generation to deliver” had tightened electricity supplies.

The company added that it was working with generators to maximise power plant availability and to optimise its operation of the grid.

Industry sources say a potential European gas shortage could worsen problems that include intermittent wind power and increasingly unreliable, older conventional electricity generators.