Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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157. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when seven new gas-fired generators will be available to supply power to Irish users ensuring further energy security to Ireland and its citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8330/23]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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158. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment where the natural gas will be sourced to supply the new gas-fired generators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8334/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 and 158 together.

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) currently has a programme of actions underway – to ensure the security of our electricity supply over the coming winters. This programme of actions contains a number of both demand and supply-side mitigation measures to address any potential shortfall. The actions include: procurement of new, enduring capacity through a number of capacity auctions; procuring additional temporary generation; extending the availability of existing generation capacity; and improved demand-side measures.

The Government's policy statement on security of electricity supply sets out that the development of new flexible gas-fired generation capacity is a national priority and should be permitted and supported in order to ensure security of electricity supply and support the growth of renewable electricity generation.

The policy statement supports the need to deliver at least 2 GW of new flexible gas-fired generation which is outlined in the Climate Action Plan 2023. As set out in EirGrid's Generation Capacity Statement 2022-2031, much of this new capacity is needed to replace older high-emitting power stations, such as those fuelled by oil and coal, which are due to close over the coming years.

New gas plants are sought via regular capacity market auctions for delivery over the coming years. The next capacity auction is set to be run in March of this year for delivery in 2026/27. It is important to note that the development of flexible gas-fired generation is to provide security of supply and support high levels of renewable electricity generation. The new capacity will only run when needed (when renewable sources are generating less) and therefore the level of associated emissions will be minimised.

Ireland sources roughly one-quarter of its gas from the Corrib gas field, and three-quarters via an interconnector from the UK, which has diverse sources of supply. Both the UK and Ireland have far less reliance on Russian gas than other European Countries. The UK’s gas supply comes from indigenous supplies, via pipelines from Norway, interconnectors with Belgium and the Netherlands and through imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG). As production from the Corrib gas field declines, our import dependence on natural gas from the UK will increase in the near term.

It is essential that we cut our dependence on imported fossil fuels, and power comes from our own indigenous renewable resources including wind and solar. Climate Action Plan 2023 sets an ambitious target to increase the share of electricity demand generated from renewable sources to up to 80% by 2030 thereby lessening our reliance on imported gas.