Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I do not have the figures to hand but the amount to be procured has been assessed by both EirGrid and the CRU and is based on a number of factors, such as expected demand increases, including from data centres. However, the primary need for the temporary generation units is not to address the overall demand, but to meet peak demand on days when there is low renewable output and interconnector availability to address it. Having this reserve capacity allows EirGrid to have more confidence in scheduling network outages for new connections to the grid, such as new wind and solar farms from the recently-announced renewable electricity support scheme, RESS 2, list of projects, without jeopardising security of supply. This is very much in keeping with Government policy of delivering up to 80% renewable electricity by 2030. I do not have the figures for projections with or without data centres, but the important point is that the rationale around these temporary generation units is to meet that additional demand when there is low wind generation or interconnector availability. That is the critical point here.