€50 million gas investment

€50 million is set to be invested upgrading the gas network’s pipeline capacity in the southern area, it was announced this week.

The Gas Networks Ireland project is required to avoid the risk of potential capacity constraints on its southern area network and to ensure sufficient supply in the case of extreme weather events.

The company has predicted capacity constraints in the southern part of the country, affecting Cork as the furthermost point of the network. Trends and forecasts over the next decade point to an increase in peak daily gas demand on the transmission (high-pressure) network.

With this investment, Gas Networks Ireland is taking steps to reduce this security of supply risk in one of the key transmission pipelines that feeds this part of the country so that more gas can be moved through the pipe.

The upgrade project involves separating the gas transmission network between Dublin-Galway-Limerick and Dublin-Cork.

Minister of State in the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht and the Department of Transport Jerry Buttimer said: “(The) announcement by Gas Networks Ireland that it is to invest €50 million in an essential upgrade of the gas network will have a significant positive impact on counties in the south of the country, and particularly Cork.

“Gas is the backbone to Ireland’s integrated energy system and is relied upon by many businesses for their operations. I am delighted to see the advancement of an infrastructure project that provides security of supply as well as additional capacity required to support regional development,” said the Cork TD.

The construction works, which will be contained within existing Gas Networks Ireland site locations in Dublin and Limerick, started earlier this month, with the additional capacity due to come on stream next winter.