Kilroot closure: Electricity disruption ‘unlikely’ over winter

Alan Campbell said SONI was "cautiously optimistic about the outlook"

The company which operates the electricity grid in Northern Ireland has reiterated there is slightly higher risk to supplies this winter due to the Kilroot power station closure.

System Operator NI (SONI) has published its annual winter outlook.

Managing Director Alan Campbell said he expected there would be "sufficient electricity generation to meet demand in normal operating conditions".

Late November is expected to be the time of greatest risk.

The main risk factors are low wind generation and low imports from Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

The report found: "There is no risk of a system-wide "blackout" (a total loss of control of the electricity system) solely due to insufficient generation under any circumstances this winter.

"Other conditions would have to be present or multiple and significant failures occur to cause a system-wide blackout."

Kilroot stopped generating electricity from coal at the end of September.

Kilroot stopped generating electricity from coal at the end of September

A replacement gas-fired station is under construction on the same site.

But it is not due to begin operation for at least three months. It could even be as late as the end of March 2024.

'Robust contingency plans'

At the time of Kilroot's closure, Mr Campbell told the BBC that while the pressure on the system is greater this year than in previous winters he was confident that the grid in Northern Ireland had enough generating capacity.

He repeated that assurance on Monday and said: "We are cautiously optimistic about the outlook as our detailed analysis shows that we have sufficient generation to meet demand this winter.

"SONI has robust contingency plans in place to manage the challenges that may arise as a result of tight generation margins including importing from Great Britain and Ireland."