Price Review Six: Wind energy industry welcomes grid investment but warns political support essential

Wind Energy Ireland has welcomed today’s approval from the CRU of €13.8 billion of investment in Ireland’s electricity grid over the next five years in Price Review Six. However, the organisation warned that this investment would need to be backed by active support right across Irish society.

The anticipated investment from EirGrid and ESB Networks will help to integrate renewable energy onto the electricity grid, reducing the hundreds of millions of euro lost every year from wasted wind power, while also modernising the grid.

It includes significant funds to make the Irish distribution system more resilient to protect it from future storms while a stronger grid will enable more housing to be built and accelerate electrification of the economy.

Dave Linehan, Head of Policy and Research with Wind Energy Ireland, said: “This investment will help us to build an electricity grid fit for the 21^st century. It will fund projects that will ensure a cleaner, more affordable and more secure supply of electricity for every family and business in Ireland.”

Political and social support

Mr Linehan went on to highlight the past failure for grid reinforcement projects to get the political and social support they need.

Mr Linehan continued: “Along with this investment must come political support, from every party and none, and backing from everyone in Ireland who wants a cleaner, more efficient and more independent energy system.

“Previous projects, like the North-South Interconnector, have been blocked or stalled because of a lack of support and we simply can’t allow that to happen again.”