Electricity supply has been almost fully restored in areas affected by the weekend's severe weather, according to Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) spokesperson Christina Papadopoulou, who acknowledged weaknesses in the utility's call-centre response due to the exceptionally high volume of calls received.
Speaking on Politis Radio, Papadopoulou said most faults have now been repaired, while the EAC is reviewing ways to improve public information and customer service mechanisms ahead of future emergencies.
"Power has returned almost everywhere"
Papadopoulou said only a small number of outstanding cases remain.
"Very few areas remain affected, mainly involving water pumps. Electricity has returned almost everywhere," she said.
She noted that crews were still replacing a transformer in Kokkinotrimithia, affecting two or three installations, primarily water-pumping facilities.
"The weather conditions were unprecedented"
Responding to criticism over the pace of repairs, Papadopoulou rejected suggestions of undue delay.
"I would not say there was a delay. The weather conditions were unprecedented and the damage was extensive," she said.
According to the EAC, the storm brought down trees, uprooted poles and caused significant damage to parts of the electricity network.
3,500 calls in two hours
Papadopoulou said the organisation faced an extraordinary surge in calls from customers.
"We received approximately 3,500 calls within two hours and it was impossible to answer them all simultaneously," she said.
As a result, the EAC encouraged customers to seek updates through its online application and digital platforms.
Staff mobilised ahead of storm
The spokesperson said preparations began before the severe weather struck.
"Because the Meteorological Service had issued an orange warning, we prepared in advance. Staff leave was cancelled and our services were reinforced," she said.
All EAC crews were placed on standby, while teams completed work in other districts and were subsequently redeployed to Nicosia, where the greatest damage was recorded.
Crews and equipment moved to Nicosia
Papadopoulou said 12 four-person crews were operating in Nicosia, alongside teams working in other districts.
Bucket trucks, lifting equipment and additional resources were transferred to the capital to support restoration efforts.
"A significant part of the work involved removing trees that had fallen onto the electricity network," she said.
Appeal for tree maintenance
The EAC spokesperson also highlighted the issue of vegetation near power infrastructure.
"The EAC carries out annual inspections to identify locations where pruning is required," she said.
She urged both local authorities and private property owners to maintain vegetation on their premises in order to reduce similar problems in future.
Why some customers still reported outages
Responding to complaints from consumers who were informed that faults had been resolved despite still being without electricity, Papadopoulou said that in many cases supply had been restored but the automatic circuit breaker at the customer's installation had disconnected.
"For that reason, we asked people to first check their electrical panel before contacting the EAC again," she said.
She added that repeated reports of the same fault further increased pressure on the call centre.
Communication improvements planned
Papadopoulou acknowledged that improvements are needed, particularly in customer communications.
"There are areas where we can improve, especially in the operation of the call centre," she said.
The EAC is examining ways to modernise and automate procedures so it can respond more effectively during periods of exceptionally high demand.
"One of the best-maintained networks in Europe"
Addressing criticism over the resilience of the electricity network, Papadopoulou defended its condition.
"The EAC network is among the most well-maintained and upgraded in Europe," she said.
However, she acknowledged that extreme weather events, lightning strikes, falling trees and even roofs collapsing onto power lines inevitably cause damage.
Focus on public information
Concluding, Papadopoulou said the authority recognised that affected customers wanted more immediate updates during the crisis.
"People experienced disruption and it is understandable that they wanted information," she said.
She added that the EAC will place particular emphasis on strengthening its call centre and public information systems, while noting that repair crews worked continuously, day and night, to restore power.
