Electricity & Gas- Things that will be fine in a no-deal Brexit

This week, at a Seanad Special Committee on Brexit, Rodney Doyle, the Director of Market Operations and General Manager of EirGrid said that it had transitioned from the single electricity market (SEM) to the ‘Integrated Single Electricity Market’ (ISEM) to safeguard electricity supplies ahead of Brexit.

“The Single Electricity Market has been operational for 12 years,” Doyle said.

There’s remained a strong and consistent view that the SEM should be retained. It’s our view that running the all-island electricity market has been a huge success and a tangible benefit of the peace process itself.

“Now that we have transitioned to the Integrated Single Electricity Market, we are linked into the electricity market across the whole of Europe which is seen to deliver even greater efficiencies.”

EirGrid is the State-owned utility that operates the high-voltage electricity grid and the electricity market north (through SONI) and south (through TSO). Eirgrid also works closely with ESB and NIE to deliver that mandate.

Since 2011, a Celtic interconnector has been proposed as an electrical link, which if built will enable the movement of power between Ireland and France. 

When completed, which is expected in the mid-2020s, it will be the only energy connection to an EU member state once the UK leaves the EU, and help to keep the price of electricity minimised. 

Last week, the EU Commission granted funding of €520 million to fund the “landmark project”, with 65% of the grant (or €345 million) being allocated to Ireland.

Particular attention to renew energy cooperation unpick the good work done to date. Committee again to use its voice of influence. 

Stephen Wheeler of SSE also told the committee that although the all-island electricity market must continue, that the single electricity market would be retained, but that “day-ahead coupling” would be affected, although the impact “would be minor”. 

Denis O’Sullivan, the Managing Director of Gas Networks Ireland, also said at the same committee appearance that following Brexit, the physical gas infrastructure linking Ireland to the rest of Europe will not change. 

The Irish gas market is heavily interconnected with that of the UK. It should be noted that the supply of gas to Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man is fully reliant on Gas Networks Ireland’s infrastructure which only underpins the need for continued cooperation between Ireland and the UK in relation to gas supplies.