The Irish government has approved the drafting of the Private Wires Bill, which will amend Irish law to enable private development of electricity wires in particular uses.
The law is aimed at attracting investment in Ireland’s flagging grid and accelerating the roll-out of renewable energy and electricity storage.
Under the proposed law private wires can be built under four specific circumstances: to permit a private wire linking a single user of electricity to a separate singular generation asset. This connection may also include storage technologies; to facilitate hybrid grid connections; to allow on-street charging solutions for Electric Vehicles; and to allow a customer that self-supplies electricity to provide electricity to a separate customer in a contiguous premises.
Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien (pictured) said: “Once they are enabled, Private Wires will allow for private investment in electricity infrastructure, particularly to enable the development of more renewable energy and electricity storage.
“Private Wires will provide greater opportunity for electricity customers and generators, and this will form part of the overall solution for further electrification and development of clean energy, whilst still ensuring that the national electricity grid is the primary route for electricity connections.”
As the Bill is being drafted and implemented, the Department will work closely with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities and system operators EirGrid and ESB Networks, the Department said in a release.