Transforming Irelands Power System

Tender description

EirGrid Group is establishing a programme to deliver the transition of the power system on the island of Ireland necessary to achieve the decarbonisation targets 2030 within the electricity sector. The Irish Government in the Climate Action Plan has set a target of 70% consumption of electricity from renewable sources by 2030. In Northern Ireland, there is currently no specific target but the UK government recently passed legislation supporting Carbon Net Zero for 2050. This is an ambitious target and we anticipate that the power system will require to be operated with 95% renewable non-synchronous generation largely from wind at times. EirGrid Group has recently launched a new strategy to reflect the ambition to achieve the 2030 decarbonisation targets within the electricity sector. Our purpose statement is: "Transforming the Power System for Future Generations" And our primary objective is: "To lead the island’s electricity sector on sustainability and decarbonisation" One of our 3 key supporting objectives is to "work with partners for positive change" Our ‘DS3 plus’ programme will face significant delivery challenges given the scale of transformation and the level of delivery that will be required. It is estimated that a further 10,000MW of renewable generation capacity as well as increased interconnection will be required to support the 2030 targets and the demand increases anticipated on the island. We anticipate that key strategic partnerships will play a pivotal role in enabling us to achieve this transformation of the power system on the island of Ireland. The key objective of this RFI exercise is to create a deep engagement with the marketplace around the challenges facing us in meeting our 2030 targets and to help us formulate our thinking around the areas outlined in the attached RFI.