A million premises face power cuts this autumn

Extra.ie​

2 days ago

Up to a million homes and businesses could face power cuts this autumn because the national grid operator failed to secure enough backup energy, Extra.ie has learned.
And the blackouts could hit as soon as September after a damning new report identified Ireland as one of the three worst countries in Europe for electricity supplies.
The findings are contained in a report released by the grid operators responsible for ensuring there is enough power to keep the lights on in 36 different European countries. Pic: fhm/Getty Images
In their forecast for the winter ahead, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-e) said the failure to replace antiquated power plants is to blame for the looming power cuts in Ireland.
The report said: 'Ireland is marked with adequacy risks in September where significant planned outages on conventional generation are foreseen.'
The threat of looming blackouts comes after an Extra.ie investigation revealed earlier this year that more than 50,000 households and businesses are already experiencing power outages every week. Pic:Documents obtained under Freedom of Information confirmed that outages impacted almost three million ESB customers – including people temporarily left without electricity on multiple occasions – across the country last year.
MEP and former minister Barry Cowen said the stark warnings in the ENTSO-e report should raise serious questions at the highest levels of government.
As Mr Cowen told Extra.ie: 'To be singled out at European level – something that has unfortunately been remarked upon by colleagues in the European Parliament — is more than just an embarrassment. It should spark serious reflection on how we ended up here. MEP Barry Cowen. Pic: Tom Honan
'This is not the result of some sudden crisis. It's the product of drift, poor planning and repeated failure to act on clear warnings – failures I have consistently raised in Dáil Éireann, the European Parliament and both institutions' relevant committees,' he continued.
The MEP for the Midlands-North West constituency added: 'EirGrid's own former CEO even warned we were 'sleepwalking' into a capacity crisis. It appears that warning is quickly becoming a reality.
'Flexibility in the system is limited. Dispatchable generation [electricity that can be programmed on demand] is not arriving quickly enough. And the grid simply can't keep up.' Jack Chambers. Pic: Sam Boal/Collins Photos
Europe's grid operators' warning comes as the Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce, set up by Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers to remove roadblocks to housing and major infrastructure projects, is due to publish its first report.
The report is likely to recommend significant investments in Ireland's electricity and water infrastructure, identified as two of the biggest obstacles to the Government's pre-election promise to build 300,000 new homes before the end of the decade. Estimates published by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) this week indicate the Coalition will fall far short of these targets.
However, the report by the umbrella group of Europe's gird operators shows Ireland cannot produce enough electricity to maintain current demand. Pic: File
According to ENTSO-e, the planned temporary closure to allow for repair works on four of the country's creaking power plants will suck one gigawatt of energy from the national grid in September. This is the level of energy required to ensure the lights are kept on in from 750,000 to one million households, farms and businesses.
Although these shutdowns have been planned in advance, European grid operators are concerned there will not be enough alternative sources of energy to cover both planned and any unexpected shutdowns to be caused by faults and breakdowns.
In their Summer and Winter 2025 Outlook report, ENTSO-e said there is no risk of blackouts in continental Europe, the Nordic countries or the UK.
In contrast, the body identifies Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus as being the most at risk of power outages.
The report states: 'Islands that are isolated or scarcely interconnected (Ireland, Malta and Cyprus) will require close monitoring.
'The adequacy risk identified in Ireland at the end of the summer season is driven by multiple overlapping planned large dispatchable generator outages and the lack of new dispatchable generation entering the market to replace old units that have closed and to cover the increase in demand.'
The report said the 'adequacy situation in Ireland will depend on the operational conditions, namely unplanned outages of the ageing generation fleet and especially wind generation. Non-market resources are now available and will significantly alleviate the risk.'
But it warned 'Ireland is marked with adequacy risks in September', and that 'significant planned outages on conventional generation are foreseen'.
The report adds: 'These risks are driven by unplanned outages of ageing power plants and will depend on wind generation if such outages occur. The actual adequacy situation in Ireland will depend on operational conditions such as unplanned outages of the ageing generation fleet in Ireland and especially wind generation.'
Maynooth University Professor and member of the Climate Change Advisory Council, Peter Thorne, said the 'a lot will depend on renewables' if Ireland is to avoid significant power outages.
Professor Thorne told Extra.ie: 'If at any time over winter we are stuck under a cloudy high pressure, [with] little-to-no wind, no solar, then we'd be in trouble.'
Prof Thorne said: 'The solution is to accelerate the roll-out of renewables and batteries and ensure [that there is] enough gas, oil and biomass capability for bridging and load balancing'.
But he warned: 'New commercial-scale renewables take time even once planning is in place'.
Professor Thorne went on to add: 'The other issue is grid renewal which is required for the new generation and storage reality. It's a mixture of planning and funding that is required.'
In response to queries, EirGrid said: 'Planned outages are an essential part of managing the electricity grid Such outages are carefully planned, managed and communicated to stakeholders.'
Despite the warnings coming from Europe's power grid bosses, a spokesman insisted that the 'scale of outages planned for September in Ireland is broadly consistent with previous outage plans for this time of year, and is not out of the ordinary'.
A plant will remain offline day and night during planned maintenance works.
Asked whether householders will likely be impacted by the planned power cuts, the spokesman added: 'EirGrid does not supply electricity to households. We supply electricity to the distribution system, managed by ESB Networks, which then supplies electricity to households.'
ESB declined to respond to queries from Extra.ie, saying 'we have nothing further to add at this time'.
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) said it is 'aware that… EirGrid has planned generator outages during what is traditionally a lower-demand period.'
A spokesman added: 'The one gigawatt (GW) that is referenced in the ENTSO-e outlook refers to power plants that will be offline for scheduled maintenance.'
The regulator insisted the planned outages does not necessarily mean 'electricity customers will lose power. EirGrid carefully plans the electricity system to ensure that there is sufficient power available from other generation plants to cater for the expected demand, even when some generation plants are offline for routine maintenance during this period.'
The spokesman also noted that ENTSO-e's forecast 'does not include electricity available from renewable generation, which can provide additional power for increased demand.
'This further mitigates against the risk of any interruptions.'