“The vast majority of applications are submitted through the ESO self-service portal, and the system operates smoothly. We promptly evaluate the submitted applications so that people can receive their money as quickly as possible and thus at least partially ease the burden they experienced due to the power outage caused by the storm,” says ESO public relations representative Rasa Juodkienė.
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All private customers whose electricity supply was restored later than 72 hours after the storm can apply to ESO for compensation for direct losses under a simplified procedure.
More than 5 thousand applications
ESO compensates residents for direct losses incurred due to prolonged electricity supply restoration: spoiled food, generator purchase or rental, fuel, necessary accommodation expenses. Within a week, ESO has already received more than 5 thousand applications from residents.
“Compensations will be paid to all customers who meet the requirements, and ESO continues to accept applications. These compensations will be paid from ESO’s profit, so they will not affect the electricity distribution tariff,” notes R. Juodkienė.
According to ESO data, 53% of the applications received so far are related to generator and fuel expenses, 44% to spoiled food products, and 3% to accommodation expenses.
“It is already clear that the number and amount of compensations will exceed the sums paid after the 2024 storm ‘Kirsti’ that devastated the country. For comparison, after ‘Kirsti’, compensations were paid to 1.1 thousand customers under a similar procedure, with a total amount of about 1 million euros. This time, the number of compensation recipients and the total amount of payments will be higher,” observes R. Juodkienė.
On average, 56 Eur paid
ESO paid the first 91 compensations on Monday. The average amount paid is 56 euros, with most of the first payments being compensations for spoiled food products.
“These are just the first compensations; the process is gaining momentum – residents started submitting applications for direct losses from September 1. Naturally, among the first evaluated applications, most requested compensation for spoiled food products. These are losses most often experienced by people whose electricity supply was restored shortly after the 72-hour deadline. Residents who were without electricity for longer more often faced the need to purchase or rent a generator and buy fuel, so the share of these expenses among newly received applications is growing,” says R. Juodkienė.
The majority of customers, 63%, request 220 euros compensation. These are mostly residents who were without electricity for 3 to 6 days and request compensation for food product losses.
20% of customers request 440 euros compensation, and 17% request 660 euros compensation. In these cases, expenses for generators are most often requested: their purchase, rental, and fuel.
ESO increased compensation limits
ESO has increased compensations to residents for direct storm losses. The maximum compensation amount will depend on the duration of electricity supply restoration.
Residents whose electricity supply was restored within 3–6 days will be compensated up to 220 Eur, within 7–13 days – up to 440 Eur, and if the restoration took 14 or more days – up to 660 Eur in losses.
Residents can also submit an additional application if they did not immediately declare all losses incurred due to the storm, for example, if they initially applied only for spoiled food but later also had expenses for a generator or fuel.
Compensations are paid:
for spoiled food – up to 60 Eur;
for accommodation expenses when temporary lodging elsewhere was necessary due to electricity supply disruption – up to 60 Eur per day;
for generator rental expenses – up to 40 Eur per day;
for generator purchase expenses – up to 220 Eur;
for generator fuel expenses – up to 90 Eur per day.
Applications for compensation of direct losses can be submitted through the ESO self-service portal, by email or regular mail, and those without access to electronic channels can also do so by customer service phone.
When submitting an application, the company requests attaching documents supporting the expenses – receipts for food or fuel purchases, generator purchase or rental. If such documents are not available, other evidence supporting the losses can be provided, for example, other photos of the refrigerator or freezer. The application must be submitted by the owner of the property where the electricity supply was disrupted.
Another compensation – for exceeding the deadline
Compensation for direct losses will be paid separately from the compensation for exceeding the established electricity supply restoration deadline. The latter payment will be received by all ESO customers – both private and business – whose electricity supply was restored later than 72 hours. It will be calculated automatically, so no application is required. Both payments are calculated and paid separately; one payment will not reduce the other.
Private ESO customers can also apply for compensation for damaged appliances or other losses after the storm by emailing info@eso.lt with a free-form request and attaching available evidence. These applications are considered individually and examined based on the provisions of the Civil Code.
According to the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service, the storm that devastated Lithuania on August 22 was the strongest based on wind data available since 1970. It is the only summer storm when dangerous, severe, or catastrophic winds were recorded at all meteorological stations measuring wind in the country.
At the peak, electricity supply was disrupted for more than 268 thousand customers, and the number of ESO network damages reached about 11 thousand – twice as many as during the 2024 storm ‘Kirsti’ that devastated Lithuania.
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