Dublin’s iconic Poolbeg chimneys are seriously at risk due to corrosion that could affect the durability their foundations.
The presence of sulphur at the bottom of the towers has led to councillors calling for the stacks to be restored and repainted.
The ESB says works on the landmark will take place this year, after they were postponed last year due to the pandemic.
The towers may need to be encased in fibreglass or concrete to ensure their long-term survival, reports the Journal.
Specialist consulting firms recommended that some cracks will need further investigation but this will only be possible by removing the brick lining of the chimneys.
The chimneys may also be affected by sulphate attack which deteriorates the concrete which can affect the brickwork.
The acid present can also attack the chemicals on the floor of the chimneys, which could affect the durability of the foundations.
The ESB explained that the presence of sulphur makes these works “all the more important” and if the foundations are in good condition, the internal brickwork of the towers will be removed, sealed, repaired and repainted.
But, they warned the removal of brickwork from the chimneys “will be difficult due to the hazardous nature of the work".
Labour councillor Dermot Lacey said that the chimneys have become "iconic" and has called on the ESB to protect and repaint them.
He said: “We should preserve them. They don’t look overly secure and we need to think about what we’re going to do with them.”
The red and white chimneys had an expected lifespan of 25 years when they were built back in the 1970s and have provided electricity for around 500,000 Dublin homes.
The associated power plants at Poolbeg ceased production a decade ago and the chimneys were decommissioned in 2006 and 2010.
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