The Irish Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) has launched a technical consultation for the Electricity Interconnector Policy, published in 2018, to update it to reflect developments that have taken place over the years.

Released in July 2018, the National Policy Statement on Electricity Interconnection emphasizes the Government’s strong support for increasing electricity interconnector capacity between Ireland and neighboring markets.

The Climate Action Plan 2021 (CAP21), published in November last year, requires that the political declaration be updated by the fourth quarter of this year to reflect the important developments that have taken place. in previous years.

These developments include increased climate and energy ambition in Ireland and the EU, the government’s aim to provide 5 GW of installed offshore wind generation by 2030the UK’s decision to leave the EU and the revision of the EU TEN-E regulation.

CAP21 builds on the Irish Government’s 2020 Agenda, which sets out a commitment to strengthen the existing policy framework for electricity interconnection to encourage further interconnection and to begin planning for future interconnection with neighboring countries.

As well as articulating Irish policy positions, this statement provided clarity to potential interconnector investors and assisted the Utilities Regulatory Commission (CRU) in determining an appropriate regulatory approach to electricity interconnection.

The consultation invites stakeholder feedback on the impact of increased interconnector capacity on achieving 80% renewables and 5 GW of offshore renewables by 2030, as well as on the government’s longer-term energy and climate goals after 2030.

It also seeks views on the appropriate legislative, regulatory and policy framework at national and European level to ensure increased interconnection, including the development of dual-use hybrid interconnectors, combining point-to-point interconnection with offshore generation.

The bid closing date is 5:30 p.m. local time on August 10.

MaresConnect, the developer of the 750 MW electricity interconnector project between Ireland and Great Britain, welcomed the decision: “Additional interconnection capacity with its neighbors will help meet Ireland’s pressing challenges of ensuring security of electricity supply and avoiding the costly curtailment of new renewable resources, in particular onshore and offshore wind. .”

To recall, in March, the Irish Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan TD invited applications of the first batch of offshore wind projects for Maritime Area Consents (MACs), the first of which is expected to be issued in the second half of this year.

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