Policy information
Electricity
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
A number of different sources are used to generate electricity in Ireland, the main one is gas. The government is responsible for designing and implementing policy relating to the electricity markets. It is also responsible for creating policy which helps to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions produced by electricity generation. The government has set out its ambitions for this in the Climate Action Plan which aims to increase our electricity generation from renewable sources. Government funded schemes are also helping to increase renewable electricity production. This will bring the government closer to its goal of making Ireland carbon neutral by 2050.
The infrastructure of wires and cables around the country is divided into the transmission network and the distribution network. The transmission network sends electricity from generating stations to main points (nodes) in the country. EirGrid is responsible for operating and planning the development of the transmission system. The electricity passes into the distribution network at these points. The distribution network then sends electricity supply to customers' premises. ESB Networks is responsible for the operation, maintenance and development of the electricity distribution network in Ireland. It is also responsible for maintaining and developing the transmission network.
The Climate Action Plan, is an all of government plan which sets out a course of action to reduce Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions and make Ireland carbon neutral by 2050. Climate disruption is already having diverse and wide ranging impacts on Ireland's environment, society, economic and natural resources. The Climate Action Plan sets out an ambitious course of action over the coming years to address this issue. As part of the Plan, the government has committed to increasing our generation of electricity from renewable sources. We need to increase this from 30% to up to 80% by 2030 to meet the set targets.
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is Ireland’s independent energy regulator. They provide information for the public in dealing with their utility supplier or network operator. The aim of the CRU’s economic role is to protect the interests of energy customers and maintain security of supply. The CRU also promotes competition in the generation and supply of electricity and supply of natural gas.
Renewable electricity is a way to produce energy without the use of finite fossil fuels. It does not produce greenhouse gases, which contribute to air pollution and climate change. Renewable energy sources will also never run out. Renewable electricity forms a major part of the Climate Action Plan and Ireland’s commitment to achieving up to 80% of our electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030.
Read more about Renewable Electricity
EirGrid, Ireland’s Transmission System Operator (TSO), develops and operates the national electricity grid. EirGrid ensures power is always available when and where it is needed by forecasting the requirements across the country. The power is then delivered to the distribution network, which is operated by ESB Networks, and in turn powers every electricity user in Ireland.
As part of their TSO licence, we ask EirGrid to produce certain reports on energy which inform and guide our policy development into the future.
Ireland’s energy policy emphasises the important role to be played by enhanced electricity interconnection, as a means of enhancing security of supply, market competition, and the integration of renewable energy, to the benefit of Irish consumers. Support for enhanced interconnection is emphasised in the National Policy Statement on Electricity Interconnection, published by DECC in July 2018.
There is currently one electricity interconnector between Ireland and Great Britain, the East West Interconnector (EWIC), with two further proposed future electricity interconnectors being the Celtic Interconnector, between Ireland and France, and the Greenlink Interconnector, between Wexford and Wales.
Projects of Common Interest (PCI) are cross-border infrastructure projects that link the energy systems of EU countries under a scheme established by the European Commission in 2014. Electricity interconnection is viewed as critical infrastructure by the European Commission in order to move to a genuinely integrated internal electricity market. In addition, it is intended to help the EU achieve its energy policy and climate objectives, including an indicative EU interconnection target of at least 10% of installed electricity production capacity for all Member States by 2020 and 15% by 2030. Supported by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), the following five projects have been designated as Projects of Common Interest under the recent PCI process.
The North-South Interconnector is a proposed high-capacity 400kV overhead line linking the 400kV substation in Woodland, County Meath with a substation in Turleenan, County Tyrone. It will be a 138km transmission connection with a power capacity of 1,500 MW. Currently there is only a single such high-capacity interconnector between the two networks. The project is critical to improving the efficient operation of the Single Electricity Market (SEM) and increasing security of electricity supply. Efficiencies will arise from a reduction in electricity network constraints and in the operation of SEM, estimated to be worth €30 million per year. This is a joint initiative by EirGrid and System Operator for Northern Ireland (SONI).
The North-South Interconnector has been approved by the planning authorities in Ireland and Northern Ireland, although the planning consent in Northern Ireland is the subject of a legal review.
A number of studies have been carried out on the project, most recently an independent study into the technical feasibility and cost of undergrounding the North-South Interconnector, published by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications in October 2018.
The Celtic Interconnector is a proposed 700 MW High Voltage electricity interconnector that will run from Brittany in France to east Cork in Ireland. The interconnector will be 575 km long, about 500 km submarine, and is expected to cost around €1 billion. At its full capacity it will be able to power 450,000 homes. The project is jointly proposed by EirGrid, Ireland’s Transmission System Operator (TSO), and its French counterpart, Réseau de Transport d’Électricité (RTÉ).
On the 2 October 2019, the EU Commission announced a decision to award €530 million of funding towards construction of the Celtic Interconnector. The investment was secured under the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). The application was made possible by the status of the Celtic Interconnector as a PCI.
The Greenlink Interconnector is an approximately 200km long, 500 MW HVDC electricity interconnector that is proposed to run from Pembroke in Wales to Great Island in Wexford. The total cost is expected to be €400 million. This is a merchant or private project proposition with Greenlink Interconnector Limited being its promoter. It is privately financed by Element Power, supported by its financial partner, Partners Group. The project on completion will have the capacity of powering 325,000 homes and providing €800 million savings over its lifetime.
Silvermines Hydro is a major engineering initiative for the construction a new pumped storage hydro generating plant. It will re-purpose the existing man-made reservoir formerly used by the old Silvermines mining complex. This presents a major opportunity to enhance the application of renewable clean energy with a projected capital investment of €617 million. Its completion is anticipated to offer optimal improvements to local water and soil quality and to greatly expand the visual landscape and biodiversity, with the prospect of opening up local business and cultural heritage development. This clean technology has a proven ability to reduce electricity costs and enhance grid stabilisation. The project is well advanced in respect to all aspects of its development.
The Renewable Integration Development Project (RIDP) is a shared project between Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE), EirGrid and the System Operator for Northern Ireland (SONI) to identify the optimum reinforcement of the electricity transmission grid in the north and the north west of the island to cater for expected power output from renewable energy sources. It aims to further integrate the Ireland and Northern Ireland transmission systems and provide capacity for substantial demand growth in the area. This project enables significant quantities of renewable generation to be securely connected to the Ireland and Northern Ireland transmission systems, resulting in large reductions in generation curtailment and CO2 emissions.
Ireland’s economy depends on continued secure supplies of electricity. While some supply disruptions are out of our control, it is critical that action is taken in areas where Ireland can exert control, including maintaining a modern electricity network and developing indigenous renewable electricity generation.
With a significant proportion of Ireland’s electricity being generated from gas, there is a critical interdependence between electricity and gas security. Renewable wind energy is an indigenous energy source, however, it is also an intermittent source of power. It will then remain necessary for gas fired generation to be available at short notice to ensure continuity of our supply and the integrity of the electricity grid.
The EU Regulation 2019/941 on risk preparedness in the electricity sector sets out a framework on how to prevent, prepare for and manage electricity crises, ensuring that measures are taken in a coordinated and effective manner. The regulation requires Member States to cooperate, at regional level, in a spirit of solidarity. Member States are now required to identify risks relating to the security of electricity supply at both a national and regional level, and Risk Preparedness Plans are drawn up with pre-agreed detailed procedures on the preparation for and management of an electricity crisis. As the competent authority (the organisation delegated with the power) under the regulation, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has been designated responsibility to ensure implementation of the Regulation.
A robust and fit-for-purpose electrical safety regime is essential to protect lives and property. Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity market, including safety, is a statutory function of the CRU which includes:
All the activities and measures relating to electrical safety for the domestic and industrial spheres are detailed on the CRU website.