Energy watchdog and Eamon Ryan to be grilled over blackout fears

Oireachtas committee will question the minister and the CRU at urgent meeting prompted by concerns over energy security

Environment Minister Eamon Ryan during the Sectoral Emissions Ceilings announcement in July. He and the CRU will be quizzed at an emergency Oireachtas committee meeting about fears of blackouts this winter. File picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews

Ireland's energy watchdog — the Commission for Regulation of Utilities — and the Environment Minister Eamon Ryan are to be called before an emergency Oireachtas committee meeting over fears of blackouts in the coming months.

Mr Ryan has insisted that he does not expect power outages this winter, but has warned that the “real challenge” will be cost for households in the coming months.

Mr Ryan has said the Government is now looking at introducing windfall charges on energy companies as part of next month’s budget. He said: 

"We expect to be able to provide the power that this country needs in the next two to three months."

He added that “no one should ignore the fact we’re facing into a very challenging situation”.

The Oireachtas climate committee will now hold an urgent meeting next Tuesday after a number of members wrote to the chairman Brian Leddin calling for a discussion on potential energy cuts over the winter period.

The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) and grid operator EirGrid have both said the margin between the energy used and demanded will be “tight” this winter, and both have been called to address the committee next week.

Amber alerts, which mean the buffer between demand for electricity and the available supply is “smaller than optimum”, were issued by EirGrid twice this month in response to tight margins on the power system.

Sinn Féin’s climate spokesperson Darren O’Rourke said: “It is very important that we get a comprehensive update on plans to address energy supply and electricity generation constraints in order to prevent blackouts this winter. 

"We also need to hear how electricity customers will be protected. 

“We have had a number of electricity amber alerts already this month, which gives rise to concern about how the grid will cope during the winter, when demand for light and heat increases due to the cold and dark.”