15 Nov 07 Electricity Generation

As I have already explained in detail to the House, the recent coverage in the media with regard to potential performance problems at three ESB plants located at Poolbeg, Great Island and Tarbert underlines the necessity to ensure adequate capacity margins on the generation system. EirGrid’s 2007 Winter Outlook Report forecasts that electricity generating capacity will be sufficient to meet demand this winter. Eirgrid has indicated that the developments potential outages could lead to reduced capacity margins during the winter peak period, it is still EirGrid’s assessment that there will still be sufficient capacity on the system to ensure security of electricity supply this winter.

The report assumes a peak demand this winter of 5,250 megawatts (mw). This compares with the peak demand last winter of 5035 mw. EirGrid calculates that generating capacity of 5930 mw will be available. This includes the new 400 mw facility at Huntstown, which is now in service. This compares favourably with a peak generating capacity of 5,836 mw last year. It is also expected that connected wind capacity will reach 900-1000 mw by year end, which will represent a very significant and welcome increase of over 25% of installed wind capacity since the start of the year.

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.