“Deficiencies” in Northern Ireland’s “ageing electricity network” and a connection moratorium for new projects is threatening the country’s renewable electricity targets, according to a House of Commons Select Committee.
The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee has published a new report on the Belfast Executive’s electricity policy which says both issues have “caused considerable uncertainty for the renewables industry”.
This has threatened investment and is “undermining security of supply” and “putting at risk” the Belfast Executive’s “ambitious target” for renewables to contribute 40% of electricity supply by 2020.
The report also calls on Northern Ireland to “consider the future direction of renewables policy”.
“In making its decision, the Northern Ireland Executive should remember the need to support its new renewables industry and to quickly provide the long-term policy clarity which investors in the electricity sector need.”
MPs hit out at poor communication between the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive over the closure of the Renewables Obligation scheme damaged investor confidence in the sector.
The report says “significant uncertainty” was caused by a lack of proper coordination between London and Belfast in the run up to the support scheme’s closure at the end of March this year.
A new “more robust” consultative process for electricity policy is required in future, according to the committee’s report on Northern Ireland’s electricity sector that was published today.
The committee also said it “recognises” the concerns of some rural residents over wind farm impacts but says the country will “benefit in the long-term from having invested in a sustainable, low-cost and indigenous source of electricity”.
Image: SSE’s Slieve Divena 2 wind farm in Northern Ireland (SSE)
