UNIONIST LEADERS have written to Taoiseach Brian Cowen voicing concerns about the ESB’s takeover of Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE).
DUP leader Peter Robinson and Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey have told the Taoiseach they are worried about the political implications of the deal on the North’s electricity grid, which was announced last summer.
They have been supported by Assembly member Tom Elliott, a candidate in tonight’s UUP leadership election.
He said the fact that the ESB is State-owned underpinned unionist objections, and he warned of an “imbalance of investment” in the North’s infrastructure.
However, Alliance, the SDLP and Sinn Féin have criticised the move by the main unionist parties.
Minister for Industry Arlene Foster (DUP) said she had “received assurances on a range of issues” following the announcement of the £1 billion (€1.18 billion) deal in July.
The letter from Sir Reg and Mr Robinson appears to be at odds with the position Ms Foster adopted at the time.
In a statement last night she said the issue was a political one rather than a direct concern of her department.
She also said she would “keep a close watch” on the electricity market, which now operates on an all-Ireland basis, to ensure the interests of consumers were protected.
The ESB already owns the Coolkeeragh power plant near Derry, while Airtricity began marketing in Northern Ireland earlier this year, undercutting NIE prices.
The SDLP and Alliance parties warned unionists to keep party politics out of business.
Alliance Assembly member Seán Neeson said: “This acquisition must only be judged in terms of whether or not it is good for Northern Ireland consumers rather than in any spurious political terms. The single electricity market for the island of Ireland has already been established, is working very well and this also makes economic sense.”
Alban Maginness of the SDLP said: “What is being sold off is the grid and we need a tremendous amount of investment in the grid. The ESB are prepared to put that investment in.”
Sinn Féin’s Jennifer McCann said: “The adopted position of the unionist parties, opposing the proposed purchase of the NIE grid by ESB, is the politics of a bygone era. It is predicated on misinformation and playing the unionist card that any involvement from the South of Ireland in the North is bad news.”