Kilroot’s future in doubt as energy decision looms

WORKERS at Northern Ireland’s main power plants will find out today whether they will face cutbacks as a major decision over energy provision here looms.

Kilroot and Ballylumford, owned and run by AES, are in the running once again to provide power across Northern Ireland.

But it’s believed that the Kilroot base, close to Carrickfergus, may lose out on at least one contract.

AES said it received the initial results of an electricity capacity auction on December 20, but is awaiting the final outcome before it will be able to comment on what they will mean for the company.

One of the unions representing workers, Prospect, said that following today’s expected announcement it will “be working closely with any affected employers to limit any impacts as far as possible”.

“Prospect is aware that the final decision on the capacity auction will be published at the end of the month, and at that point we will be working closely with any affected employers to limit any impacts as far as possible,” a spokesperson said.

There is understood to be concern and uncertainty among the workforce at Kilroot about the long-term future of the coal and oil-powered plant.

In mid-2018, the scheduling of electricity supplies will switch to a series of new contractual relationships, for the whole island of Ireland, as an Integrated Single Electricity Market (I-SEM). Elsewhere, Evermore is developing a new £280m power station at Belfast Harbour, which is capable of powering up to half of Northern Ireland’s homes and businesses.

The new power station will take around two-and-a-half years to construct.

Belfast Power Ltd is proposing to develop a combined-cycle gas turbine power station at Airport Road West in the Belfast Harbour estate.

The development could include an underground gas pipeline connection and aboveground gas installation.

On Tuesday, a £200m electricity project linking Northern Ireland and the Republic was given the green light.

The North-South interconnector, which will go through Tyrone, Armagh, Cavan, Monaghan and Meath, will meet the energy needs of households and businesses here, it has been claimed.

This week, the Northern Ireland element of the scheme was granted approval by the Department for Infrastructure following a review by the Planning Appeals Commission.

The project will see 85 miles of overhead cables erected.

Work is expected to begin this year.

Residents in border areas of Tyrone, Armagh and Cavan are opposed to the scheme, arguing that the electricity cables should be laid underground.

But SONI (System Operator for Northern Ireland), which is overseeing the northern half of the project, has said that is not feasible.

Ellvena Graham, president of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the project has been among “the top infrastructure priorities for our members since 2009”.

North Down DUP MLA Gordon Dunne said the decision will “open up competition within the energy market and will create further opportunities for more competitive pricing, with benefits for both domestic and commercial customers in Northern Ireland”.