Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will report on the recent €600m electricity interconnector between Ireland and Britain; the implications of the new interconnector for the Irish energy market; his views on the implications of the interconnector for nuclear power in the UK and Irish energy markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43581/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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EirGrid the State-owned electricity transmission system operator has recently overseen the completion of construction of the East West Interconnector between the electricity grids of Ireland and Britain. The construction and operation of the East West Interconnector is the statutory responsibility of EirGrid. The cost of the Interconnector is underwritten by all electricity customers under the regulatory model implemented by the Commission for Energy Regulation.

The East West Interconnector is a strategically vital energy project for the island of Ireland. It will critically contribute to national security of energy supply and competition as well as underpinning the progressive development of renewable energy, and the convergence of the electricity markets across these islands. I am informed by EirGrid that the latter stages of the testing phase have identified some technical issues which they are investigating with a view to the full commissioning of the interconnector as soon as possible.

The position of successive Governments over many years is that nuclear power is neither sustainable nor the answer to meeting Ireland’s energy needs. This position is shared by several EU Member States. Moreover, the use of nuclear fission for the generation of electricity in Ireland is prohibited by statute. These prohibitions do not include the importation of electricity generated by nuclear energy elsewhere.

It is the case that nuclear generation forms part of the overall UK generation fuel mix. The Lisbon Treaty legally provides for individual Member States to determine their own energy mix. Ireland currently imports electricity from time to time from Northern Ireland, which is in turn linked to the UK electricity market via the Moyle Interconnector. Electricity imports from the UK will be increased with the completion of the East West Interconnector.

It is not technically feasible to guarantee that electricity imported over an interconnector is not generated from nuclear sources as it is not possible to distinguish the flow of electricity across interconnectors by reference to the original source of supply or generation.

This is a landmark project in the history of Irish energy policy. I am informed by EirGrid that investigations arising from the latter states of the testing will have to be completed before full commissioning.