James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 377: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the electricity consumption each month from January 2006 to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21412/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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EirGrid plc is the Irish transmission system operator and has a statutory responsibility for forecasting and reporting on supply and demand in the Irish electricity system. EirGrid has been able to provide the following data in regard to the total consumption of electricity in Ireland by month from January 2007 to April 2010: the data is in Mega Watt hours.

2007

Jan-07: 2,575,729

Feb-07: 2,334,759

Mar-07: 2,480,148

Apr-07: 2,150,440

May-07: 2,189,904

Jun-07: 2,097,771

Jul-07: 2,146,290

Aug-07: 2,160,588

Sep-07: 2,180,423

Oct-07: 2,385,204

Nov-07: 2,475,997

Dec-07: 2,559,503

2008

Jan-08: 2,657,784

Feb-08: 2,475,172

Mar-08: 2,531,911

Apr-08: 2,367,250

May-08: 2,232,206

Jun-08: 2,104,297

Jul-08: 2,189,857

Aug-08: 2,172,357

Sep-08: 2,213,883

Oct-08: 2,423,006

Nov-08: 2,474,432

Dec-08: 2,573,212

2009

Jan-09: 2,614,442

Feb-09: 2,316,288

Mar-09: 2,380,155

Apr-09: 2,145,815

May-09: 2,133,573

Jun-09: 1,992,126

Jul-09: 2,038,974

Aug-09: 2,033,392

Sep-09: 2,073,643

Oct-09: 2,223,931

Nov-09: 2,319,991

Dec-09: 2,511,656

2010

Jan-10: 2,619,371

Feb-10: 2,329,531

Mar-10: 2,414,704

Apr-10: 2,111,541

EirGrid was not in a position to provide the monthly breakdown for 2006 but has advised that the annual consumption of electricity in 2006 was 27,920.4 gW hours (based on 52 weeks) where 1 gW hour is 1,000 Mega Watt hours. EirGrid now publishes monthly electricity statistic reports on its website and this data, which includes details on monthly electricity demand, demand growth, peak demand and installed generation capacity, is readily accessible in respect of the months from July 2009 onwards.

EirGrid also publishes an annual Generation Adequacy Report, which sets out estimates of the demand for electricity in the following 7-year period, the likely production capacity that will be in place to meet this demand, and assesses the consequences in terms of the overall supply/demand balance. In its most recent Generation Adequacy Report for the period 2010 to 2016, EirGrid highlighted that the change in the economic climate since 2008 has been reflected in a reduction in electricity demand. It also noted that this reduction in demand, coupled with the connection of new generation, improved generator availability, and increased interconnection, means that there is adequate capacity to meet demand in accordance with system standards over the next seven years.