I have no plans to commission a further study into the adequacy of electricity generating capacity relative to demand.
Because I was conscious of the interest in information relating to electricity generating capacity, I arranged for the ESB, in consultation with the Department, to prepare a report which was pub lished in October 1998, entitled "Generation Capacity Requirements to 2005". This report was reviewed by the Department's chief technical adviser prior to publication.
The ESB currently has legislative responsibility for ensuring that electricity demand is met and any study on generation capacity requirements would have to draw on ESB data. Looking to the future, the Electricity Regulation Bill, 1998, provides for the preparation by the ESB of a forecast statement covering both generation and transmission. This will be in a form to be approved by the Commission for Electricity Regulation, when established.