IFA Call for Review of Eirgrid’s Plans Following Esb Report Which Questions Future Demand

IFA Environment & Rural Affairs Committee Chairman Harold Kingston has called on EirGrid to review their plans to put thousands of kilometres of electricity lines across the country.

This follows the publication by ESB of a report which questions the future electricity demand predicted by EirGrid. ESB’s own assessment is that demand will grow by 4%, while the EirGrid figure was over ten times greater at 45%. The report goes on to question the necessity for projects currently being planned by EirGrid, including Grid West and Grid Link.

Harold Kingston said, “Farm families right across the country continue to express concern regarding EirGrid’s proposals. Now ESB, which will actually own the electricity infrastructure that EirGrid is planning to build, is also questioning the need for such large scale development..”

Harold Kingston said, “Energy policy in Ireland is clearly disjointed, with ESB and EirGrid now at odds regarding electricity infrastructure requirements. IFA recently met with Energy Minister Alex White and called on him to publish a clear national Energy Plan which is fully costed and makes sense. The need for this plan is now even greater. If energy policy is to be successful, then it must provide a clear directional path and Irish people deserve that clarity regarding energy policy”.

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