Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 337: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the reason for the delay in proceeding with the electricity interconnector which could help raise the use of reusable sources in Irish generation and access to cheaper electricity purchases. [8703/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The recently published Energy Policy Green Paper "Towards a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland" underlines the Government's commitment to deliver enhanced interconnection on the island of Ireland as well as with Britain, as a priority. This is also the way forward envisaged at European level.

Since the Government decision of July 2006, which approved plans for the construction of a single 500 megawatt electricity interconnector between Ireland and Great Britain, work on the project has been progressing steadily. On foot of the Government decision, the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) has been requested to proceed with a competition to select a developer to secure the design and construction of this interconnector by 2012 at the latest.

The CER has also been requested to arrange for EirGrid and ESB to expedite the technical work of route selection and necessary grid reinforcement works. The Government decision provides that the interconnector when completed will, as a key strategic asset, remain in public ownership and will be owned by EirGrid.

While work is advancing rapidly on the route selection and technical specification of the interconnector, the CER is also finalising the competition structure, working on the associated competition documentation and related contractual arrangements with the aim of going to market as soon as possible.

To underpin the development process, new arrangements have been put in place in respect of the construction and operation of future interconnectors in the Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006. The Act provides that the CER may, with Ministerial consent, secure the construction of an interconnector by one or more means, including by competitive tender. Such consent will be contingent on final Government approval.

In addition to this East/West interconnector, the Government, working together with the Northern Ireland authorities, will continue to progress electricity interconnection initiatives in the context of the All-Island Energy Market. In this regard, the two transmission system operators, Northern Ireland Electricity and EirGrid, are planning a second North-South electricity interconnector which will more than double the existing cross-border electricity transfer capacity to over 600MW with an expected completion date of 2012 at the latest.

While it is too early to say precisely when these projects will be completed, the CER and EirGrid are committed to providing the new interconnections by the timeline the Government has set. In this regard, the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure Act) 2006, which provides for a streamlined planning process for strategic infrastructure developments, includes special provisions designed to expedite the planning process for electricity interconnector projects.