Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for his reply, but it is a different answer to the one I expected. The Commission for Energy Regulation informed the Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources that, under gate 3 in the next two months, new connections to the national grid will be made for wind energy projects. My understanding is that 8,258 MW of wind application proposals are currently being developed. What policy direction has the Minister given the CER in terms of how it should choose successful applications for connection? Consortiums, business people and farmers across the country have spent fortunes in planning permission applications and connection cost consultations in order to develop wind energy projects. Clearly, we will not be able to connect over 8,000 MW onto a grid that only uses 5,000 MW at full capacity. Will acceptance of the projects be on the basis of the date on which they were applied for, date order and system optimisation, which is the second potential criterion, or grid development strategy? Both EirGrid and ESB feel strongly that they should be assessed on the basis of grid capacity. What is happening here? Are we misleading potential developers hoping to get a grid connection who in reality may never be able to get a connection?

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