Vol. 401 No. 4
135 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Energy if his Department have carried out any assessment of the length of time the ESB will be able to use natural gas; and the contribution this will make to the reduction of SO2 emissions.
The ESB have a contract with Bord Gáis Éireann (BGE) for a gas supply up to 31 December 1999 (the date of the expiry of the BGE/Marathon Principal Agreement).
Plans for construction of a gas pipeline to the United Kingdom are well advanced and it is expected that this will enable the ESB to continue to use significant quantities of gas for many years to come.
As a result of the Government's decision in the environment action programme to accede to the Helsinki Protocol the ESB will have to achieve approximately a 30 per cent reduction in their sulphur dioxide emission levels by 1993 based on 1980 levels. The use of natural gas is seen as critical to the ESB's efforts in achieving this reduction.
