Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 June 2026
47. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the measures his Department has put in place to ensure that Ireland is utilising wind energy grid infrastructure that we have put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44558/26]
View answerFive Phase 1 offshore wind projects are presently in development off our East coast, with planned capacity of 3.8 gigawatts (GW). All five have submitted planning applications and first determinations from An Coimisiún Pleanála are anticipated before the end of 2026, with the others to follow in 2027. Subject to planning approval, and the continued progress of the projects by the developers, I anticipate that some of these projects will be in construction by 2030 and operational in the early 2030s. As the Phase 1 projects are responsible for the construction of the offshore grid related to their projects, the construction of the offshore grid will proceed at the same pace as the wind farms.
The 900 MW Tonn Nua project off the coast of Waterford is progressing well since approval in 2025. EirGrid will be constructing the offshore grid for that project and is projected to make a grid connection available by 2033. Tonn Nua was the first of four sites to be brought to auction from the South Coast DMAP.
My Department is making preparations to bring the remaining three South Coast DMAP sites to auction over the next few years.
Separately, my Department is advancing the National DMAP process, which will designate sufficient additional sites around our coast to facilitate our longer term target of 20 GW.
