Ireland could face serious power cuts during the winter of 2008-2009 unless a new power station is built, according to TEEU national industrial officer Davy Naughton.
He said technical difficulties have reduced the ESB's generating capacity by 350 megawatts - "the equivalent of a new power station," Mr Naughton added.
"To meet demand for the winter of 2008/2009 construction on another station should have commenced already. Failure to start this station immediately will create the growing deficit in generating capacity," he claimed.
"Unless the way is cleared for construction of a new station now it will soon be too late to avoid this scenario."
However, a spokesman for the Commission for Energy regulation told ireland.comthat although it would "favour any new power plant on the system", there was "no risk in the immediate term".
A number of applications for plants in the Cork area are in the planning process, he said.