POWER TO THE PEOPLE… HAVE YOUR SAY ON FUTURE OF ELECTRICITY IN NORTH WEST

SONI, the electricity transmission system operator for Northern Ireland, wants to hear the views of businesses and communities in the North West about its Transmission Development Plan for Northern Ireland (TDPNI).

Proposals include strengthening the grid in the North West and Mid Tyrone areas to support economic development and to facilitate decarbonisation of the electricity supply.

The strategic development will also involve bolstering the interconnection with GB and ROI by increasing capacity of the Moyle Interconnector and constructing a new North South Interconnector.

Essential upgrades will improve reliability and lower consumer costs by enabling cleaner, renewable sources of electricity onto the system, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. This will help to deliver climate targets of 80% renewable generation of electricity by 2030, and net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The TDPNI outlines SONI’s action plan for the next ten years, which will be reviewed, updated and consulted upon every two years.

Alan Campbell, managing director of SONI, said: “The Transmission Development Plan for Northern Ireland 2023-2032 is our blueprint for preparing the grid for future growth and a cleaner energy future. It outlines the essential projects that we intend to deliver over