Minister for the Environment Darragh O’Brien has been warned that any damage to Ireland’s subsea gas interconnectors could severely impact the country’s energy supply, reports RTE.
This warning appears in briefing documents and studies on energy security released under the Freedom of Information Act.
The papers highlight Ireland’s vulnerability to gas supply disruptions and reference a Russian naval vessel lingering over a Gas Networks Ireland pipeline last November, reports RTE.
They estimate that repairs to a damaged subsea gas pipeline could take up to six months, during which 250 major industrial and institutional sites could lose access to gas.
Affected sectors could include pharmaceuticals, food and beverage production, dairy, manufacturing, and major sites like airports and universities, reports RTE.
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Security analyst Declan Power has called for stronger collaboration between Ireland and the UK to safeguard these critical interconnectors.
The findings were part of the Government’s preparation to advance with a State-led Floating Storage and Regassification Unit (FSRU).
An FSRU is a ship capable of storing liquified natural gas (LNG) and supplying it to the national energy grid, reports RTE.
However, Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman cautioned that the FSRU should not pave the way for fracked gas entering Ireland’s energy mix.
The proposed legislation for the FSRU will be brought before the Oireachtas after the Easter break, reports RTE.
The Government-commissioned study, conducted by international consultants CEPA, concluded that an FSRU would lessen the blow to electricity supply if the IC2 interconnector were disrupted.
While it would not fully compensate for a total interconnector failure, the FSRU would reduce the severity of its effects, reports RTE.
CEPA also noted that the FSRU could help Ireland meet future EU gas supply security requirements.
Still, the study acknowledged that alternatives like increased electricity interconnection, large-scale storage, and offshore wind development could also play a key role, reports RTE.
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