Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 March 2015
952. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if an application has been made to the Commission for Energy Regulation regarding the Codling Bank offshore wind park and the status of any such application; if this aspect of the project will now fall under a new administrative process for Projects of Common Interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11987/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra953. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if an application has been made to EirGrid with respect to the grid connection for the Codling Bank offshore wind park; if this aspect of the project will fall under a new administrative process for projects of common interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11988/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra954. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if he will outline the review process for Ireland's list of projects of common interest and the likely timing of the next review to include the appropriateness of listing wind energy projects which rely on the existence of an export agreement with the United Kingdom which as we know has been declined by the United Kingdom Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11989/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 952 to 954, inclusive, together.
All applications to EirGrid and ESB Networks seeking connection to the Irish Grid are listed on the EirGrid website at the following link: http://www.eirgrid.com/customers/gridconnections/completedgenerationapplications/
The processing of all applications for connection to the Irish Grid is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). The CER was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity sector following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999 and subsequent legislation.
Separately, to help create an integrated EU energy market, the European Commission has drawn up a list of 248 projects of common interest (PCIs) across the EU. These projects may, subject to certain requirements, benefit from accelerated licensing procedures, improved regulatory conditions, and access to financial support from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) between 2014 and 2020.
EU Regulation No. 1391/2013 lists the projects of common interest adopted in October 2013 by the European Commission. None of the adopted projects of common interest are related to the connection for Codling Bank wind farm.
The list of projects is to be updated every two years and a process is currently underway to adopt the second list of PCI's. A public consultation on the proposed list of PCIs is being carried out by the European Commission and remains open for comment until the 31 March 2015.
PCI projects associated with renewable energy trading to the United Kingdom would be subject to an appropriate framework that would be set out in Inter Governmental Agreement. It should be noted that given the economic, policy and regulatory complexities involved, and some key decisions that the UK is not yet in a position to take, delivery before 2020 of renewable energy trading is not a realistic proposition. Further information on this process and the projects involved can be found at the following link: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/consultations/consultation-list-proposed-projects-common-interest.
None of the proposed projects of common interest are related to the connection for a Codling wind farm.
