Mr. Michael Mahon:

EirGrid published the Shaping Our Electricity Future Roadmap, version 1.1, in June 2023.

This follows the publication of the original Shaping our Electricity Future roadmap in November 2021. The roadmap outlines how we will meet the ambitious targets in the climate action plan 2023. This will require Ireland to have connected 9 GW of onshore wind generation, 5 GW of grid-connected offshore wind generation and 8 GW of solar PV generation by 2030.

EirGrid needs to transform the grid to achieve these targets and this requires the delivery of more than 350 projects in Ireland by 2030. To achieve this we need unprecedented collaboration with our partner, ESB Networks and across the entire energy ecosystem, as well as strong support from the public, particularly on project delivery. A large element about collaboration with industry is transparency. To support this we provide quarterly updates on our 350 projects. We have been doing this since 2022.

To minimise the requirement for new infrastructure, many of the 350 projects involve uprating or upgrading the existing network. Last year alone, in order to move this along we made 20 planning applications, we looked at 40 projects and concluded that planning was not required for those projects, while also receiving 20 positive planning decisions. In addition, a number of new strategic projects are also required and I will give an update on some of them now.

In north Connacht we need a new circuit to improve security of supply and to transport renewables. We received a positive planning decision from an Bord Pleanála last year. This project has now been handed over to the ESB for construction. Near Dublin, we need two circuits in Kildare, Meath and Dublin to improve the security of supply, transport renewables and meet the increasing demand. The Kildare-Meath project planning application was submitted last April and the east Meath-north Dublin project planning application will be submitted this quarter. Both of these projects will be handed over to ESB Networks for construction next year. We also need to upgrade and effectively replace the existing network in Dublin. In 2022, we launched Powering Up Dublin and after a major stakeholder engagement last year, just this morning we announced three of the five cable routes for these circuits. We also received planning permission for two new substations in Belcamp and Poolbeg.

With each of the projects outlined, there is a strong emphasis on public engagement and listening to community views. We now establish a dedicated community forum for each project where people can have their say. In addition, due to the significant number of infrastructure projects ongoing we established the Dublin infrastructure forum which has brought together many semi-State bodies such as ourselves to co-ordinate and collaborate on projects with the aim of reducing the amount of disturbance on communities. Such is the success of this to date that there are already some ducts installed as a result of other semi-State projects that we can utilise when construction commences for our ducting. An example of this is the Royal Canal greenway.

The last key project I wish to highlight is the North-South interconnector in the north east. While this project has often drawn criticism locally, we cannot underline enough the central role it will play in helping Ireland and Northern Ireland to decarbonise. The project has full planning permission and last year an independent international review cleared the way for us to begin engaging with land owners and communities. We are currently active across Meath, Cavan and Monaghan, engaging with land owners and communities. We ask members to support the project as a key piece of all-island infrastructure.

In summary, we are well under way to the development of all our projects. This requires a €5 billion investment in infrastructure. We expect to have all this in construction by mid-2025. Further details can be found on our website, eirgrid.ie.

I will now hand over to my colleague, Dr. Ryan.