Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 109: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the steps which he is taking to ensure the availability of quality electricity supply throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15331/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Government is committed to ensuring that electricity supply consistently meets the needs of Irish consumers and business. My Department liaises closely with the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which has primary independent statutory functions with regard to monitoring and ensuring security of electricity supply, and with EirGrid as the independent Transmission System Operator. Reporting to the CER, EirGrid has responsibility for managing generation adequacy and monitoring generation capacity. In December 2007 EirGrid produced a Generation Adequacy Report (GAR) covering the period 2008 -2014. The GAR is produced annually by EirGrid and sets out the estimates for demand of electricity for the next seven years. This report provides a rigorous analysis of Ireland's electricity generation capacity to meet expected demand.

Our generating capacity must ensure an adequate margin between electricity supply and demand. Medium term capacity will be enhanced with the two 400 megawatts power generation plants currently under construction at Aghada and Whitegate for delivery in 2009/10 as well as the new electricity interconnectors scheduled for 2011 (North/South) and 2012 (East/West). The additional interconnector capacity will significantly enhance Ireland's security of supply. The provision of new flexible power generation plant and achieving our targets for wind and other renewable energy is equally critical. It is expected that connected wind capacity which is currently installed at a capacity of 804 megawatts will reach 2792 megawatts by end of 2014.

As with any power generation system, it is not possible to give definitive guarantees that generation adequacy will always be maintained. By their nature, high level forced outages on the system cannot be predicted. Plant outage, whether planned or unforeseen, must at all times be critically managed to maintain security of supply. EirGrid operates a range of demand control measures to assist in managing demand at peak times. These include reducing demand by agreement with large users in the interests of ensuring domestic customer supply is maintained. Key imperatives for electricity supply and demand are energy efficiency and a diverse fuel mix. Radically improving energy efficiency and achieving the ambitious renewable energy target set by the Government will significantly enhance security of supply and ensure that demand itself is managed in a fully sustainable way.