Electricity blackout concerns as demand for energy soars

Eirgrid has warned of a 'challenging outlook' for Ireland's electricity supply in the next ten years as demand for energy grows.

Its latest All Island Generation Capacity Statement says demand is outstripping supply which could lead to more regular outages over the next decade.

The state-owned body is warning that blackouts and system alerts may become more frequent, as the economy grows and the demand for energy rises.

It notes the expected expansion of many large energy users in the coming years. 

It also observes that Irish power plants are deteriorating in availability, as some will be reaching their intended retirement dates.

The latest capacity report says "capacity margins are tight and a loss of a generator could mean difficulty in meeting demand."

"Low power plant availability for this year continues to be a concern with an expectation that the coming winter period will be challenging. EirGrid and SONI continue to monitor the situation in the short term through the winter outlook forecast," the capacity statement adds.