Company bidding to secure electricity deal criticises lack of efficiency regulations

AUGHINISH Alumina, one of seven companies bidding to generate new electricity generating plants, believes the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) has missed an environmental opportunity.

The CER, trying to address a projected shortfall in generation capacity in 2005, is looking for a maximum of 400 megawatts of new power supply by then.

The seven companies can either bid to supply the total 400MW or for smaller amounts and the CER will decide how many companies to award contracts to.