Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 April 2026
128. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the steps he is taking to accelerate the delivery of offshore renewable energy in the wake of energy price hikes triggered by the ongoing conflict in the middle east; if the State will develop and retain ownership of any of the offshore wind sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26171/26]
View answerFive offshore wind projects off our East coast, with planned capacity of 3.8 gigawatts, are presently in development. The first planning determination is anticipated before the end of 2026, with others to follow in 2027. Subject to approval, I anticipate that these five projects will be in procurement and construction by 2030 and operational in the early 2030s.
In December 2025, I announced that Helvick Head DAC, a consortium of ESB and Orsted, had won my Department’s second offshore wind auction and will be developing a 900 megawatt project off the coast of Waterford. I expect this project to be energised by 2033. This project was the first of four to be brought to auction from the South Coast DMAP.
My Department is working closely with EirGrid to develop grid connection options and is separately commissioning and procuring survey data of the second South Coast DMAP site known as Lí Ban.
My Department is also preparing plans to bring the remaining two sites within the South Coast DMAP to market and is advancing the National DMAP in order to meet our targets.
Government has no plans for the State to directly develop offshore wind sites. The State is likely to secure best value for electricity consumers through competitive auction of sites designated within DMAPs.
