Electricity grid development plan consultation

Views sought by SONI on its Draft Transmission Development Plan for Northern Ireland 2023-2032.

The System Operator for Northern Ireland (SONI) is consulting on a Draft Transmission Development Plan Northern Ireland to cover the period 2023 to 2032. SONI is the licensed independent electricity Transmission System Operator (TSO) for Northern Ireland, responsible for operating the transmission system, or the electricity grid as it’s better known.

SONI also has responsibility for planning and delivering a transformation of the power system to enable a cleaner energy future. This includes interconnection to neighbouring grids and running the wholesale electricity market.

This aligns with the implementation of Northern Ireland’s Energy Strategy and climate change legislation which sets a target of an average of at least 80 per cent of our electricity coming from renewable sources by 2030.

The transmission grid and its infrastructure need to be made stronger and more flexible to transport the increases in clean energy generation which is expected this decade. It also needs to be secure so that consumers have the high quality and reliable electricity supply they have come to expect. This infrastructure upgrade is the most significant in its scale and impact since rural electrification and it is a mission-critical step on the journey to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The projects outlined in SONI's Draft Transmission Development Plan aim to ensure the transmission grid is fit for the future, providing for Northern Ireland’s environmental, societal and economic aspirations. They are critical enabling infrastructure in the realisation of the Northern Ireland Energy Strategy and Climate Change Act.

To coincide with Draft Transmission Development Plan, SONI is also consulting on the associated Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA).

Find out more about the consultation and how to respond.

First published 16 November 2023