NEWS
EIRGRID FORECASTS SUFFICIENT GENERATION TO MEET DEMAND THIS WINTER
New research by electrical industry training and certification body NICEIC highlights how the relationship between tradespeople and the public is becoming more transactional and less personal. The data also highlights a generational divide in how people interact with tradespeople working in their homes. The findings come at a time when mental health is a serious concern within the trades, with four out of five tradespeople reporting they have experienced stress, anxiety and mental ill health because of their work. NICEIC asked the public about a range of kind and polite gestures and found only 63% of people would offer a tradesperson a cup of tea, falling to 45% among 25-34-year- olds. Almost half of people (46%) wouldn’t let a tradesperson use their toilet. Respondents aged 55+ are the most likely to do so (71%), but only 34% of 25-34-year-olds would offer the use of their loo. NICEIC commissioned a survey of 2,000 UK adults in July 2025 using a third-party survey provider. www.niceic.com NICEIC RESEARCH REVEALS CHANGING PUBLIC INTERACTION WITH TRADESPEOPLE
EirGrid has forecast adequate generation capacity in the national grid, and a reduced risk of system alerts over the coming months, in its Winter Outlook for 2025/26.
New sources of generation, including completion of the 500MW Greenlink Interconnector with Britain and continued implementation of the Security of Supply Programme, have boosted grid capacity. While the system may enter the Alert (Amber) State during periods of low wind and low interconnector imports, it is not expected to enter the Emergency (Red) State identifying insufficient generation to meet demand. Two system alerts were issued over winter 2024/25, but due to storm weather warnings rather than capacity. A new peak
demand record of 6,024MW was recorded on January 8, 2025, due to cold weather. Provisional data from EirGrid indicates 42% of electricity in September came from renewable sources, with windfarms accounting for 34% of all electricity used in Ireland. EirGrid also said official metered data shows that by the end of July this year 753GWh of solar energy had been supplied on the grid, up from 659GWh for
the whole of 2024. www.eirgrid.com
FINAL SCHEME DESIGN PUBLISHED FOR RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY SUPPORT SCHEME
Northern Ireland Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has published the Final Scheme Design for a renewable electricity support scheme.
The Renewable Electricity Price Guarantee (REPG) aims to deliver cheaper energy prices for consumers, incentivising renewable electricity generation and positioning Northern Ireland as a competitive and attractive destination for investment. The scheme aims to deliver lower energy prices and help achieve the Climate Change Act’s target of 80% renewable electricity consumption by 2030. “Increasing investment in renewables is essential to reduce our reliance on high-cost fossil fuels and deliver on our net zero ambitions,” said the Minister. “The publication of the REPG Final Scheme Design will boost renewable generation and deliver lower electricity costs to households than they are paying today.” The Department for the Economy will consult on REPG Terms and Conditions later this year, providing stakeholders with a key opportunity to input into the contractual aspects of the scheme. The first auction is anticipated in early 2027. www.economy-ni.gov.uk
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