Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 November 2011
120 Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will outline any problems with the current gate 3 process for wind farm development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37966/11]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe ‘Gate' process was established by the Commission for Energy Regulation following extensive public consultation. It is a group processing approach (GPA) towards the processing and issuance of grid connection offers to renewable generators whereby applications for connections are processed in batches rather than individually. Within these Gates, applications are further divided into geographic groups and sub-groups based on the optimal network required to connect them.
The group processing approach facilitates a more strategic approach to be taken to network building requirements and aims to put in place efficient connection solutions to cater for large number of applications to ensure optimum network development, minimising network costs and, where possible, avoidance of network bottlenecks. To date there have been 3 ‘Gates'. Under Gate 1 and Gate 2, 1755MW of connection offers were made and accepted. Under Gate 3, 3900MW of offers have been made to renewable generators. This amount of renewable generation is capable of delivering Ireland's 40% renewable electricity target.
A Gate 3 liaison group involving the Transmission System Operator (TSO), Distribution System Operator (DSO), regulator and industry representatives was established by the regulator and continues to meet on a regular basis to monitor rollout and delivery of the programme. At this stage, EirGrid has overseen and issued connection offers to all the renewable generations in Gate 3. This is a major milestone for the industry on the road towards meeting the renewable electricity target.
Other work streams that took place in EirGrid to facilitate the issuance of the Gate 3 offers included:
The Incremental Transfer Capability (ITC) programme. The results of this programme were issued in January 2010 by EirGrid and it assessed the Transmission Grid's capability to accommodate the incremental power transfers resulting from the connection of each Gate 3 project during the period 2010-2025 based on assumed standard timelines.
EirGrid's Generation Analysis team carried out constraints studies and prepared reports which assessed the potential levels of curtailment and transmission constraint that generators might expect to experience in the period from 2011 through 2022.
Throughout the offer process phase of Gate 3, EirGrid and ESB Networks facilitated well in excess of 100 meetings with transmission and distribution customers.
Arrangements for the next phases of Gate 3 including project delivery of accepted offers and offer modifications are being progressed at present.
I am advised by EirGrid that further constraint studies are in preparation for developers and that once these are issued, there will be a set period within which those in Gate 3 are required to accept or reject their Gate 3 grid connection offers and make their first stage payments. Once this development has taken place, there will be a clearer picture of the actual take-up rates for Gate 3. The main challenges the sector face are planning difficulties in some areas where the strategic areas of conservation (SACs) were extended and the need to strengthen the grid in those regions where the majority of new wind farms are located.
