Restrictions on the importation of Russian gas to the EU are not expected to significantly affect Irish gas supplies over the summer, Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) said.
In its 2022 summer outlook, GNI said the country’s gas supply will be met from the Corrib gas field and the interconnection with Britain. The latter is largely supplied from UK sources and through gas from Norway.
“Based on the assessment of all supply sources to Ireland and anticipated demand levels, it is not envisaged that there will be a disruption to Ireland’s gas supply during the summer months,” GNI’s future networks manager Maurice Power said.
“Our interconnector with the UK is set to continue as the dominant supply source for Ireland, with Corrib anticipated to operate at its forecasted capacity during the summer period. Gas demand is forecast to be slightly lower over the coming summer period compared to the previous year, due to several factors including the current high wholesale gas prices. We have continuous communication channels in place with key regulatory and upstream stakeholders in relation to maintaining security of supply.”
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Gas demand for home and business heating is expected to drop over the summer, in line with the seasonal rise in temperatures, but gas-fired electricity generation is likely to increase as wind levels drop.
“Last summer gas accounted for up to 69 per cent of daily electricity generation,” Mr Power said. “In April we already started to see gas’s share of the electricity mix rise, with a daily peak of 80 per cent and closing the month at 52 per cent of Ireland’s electricity generation. This trend is expected to continue through summer 2022.”
