Energy Crisis

Sparks fly as EirGrid and CRU play the power blame game

The heads of the electricity grid operator and the energy regulator last week traded criticisms in Leinster House before an audience of deeply unimpressed politicians. Meanwhile, businesses scramble to draw up emergency plans to survive the winter

The gap between Ireland’s power supply and demand is expected to be 280 megawatts this winter. Picture: Shutterstock

While much of Leinster House remained quiet last week due to the ongoing Dáil recess, an emergency meeting on Ireland’s creaking power system was being held in one of the basement committee rooms.

Two of the state’s leading energy authorities and Eamon Ryan, the Minister for the Environment, were in front of the recalled Oireachtas committee on the environment last Tuesday, to explain exactly why the country is now facing into a winter where there ...