EirGrid has projected that electricity demand will increase by 45 per cent from 2023 to 2034, with peak power requirements rising by 24 per cent over the same period.
The body managing the electricity grid warns of a “challenging outlook” between 2023 and 2027 as new power sources are introduced.
Much of the demand growth is expected to come from data centres, the electrification of heating and transport, including heat pumps and electric vehicles, as well as new technologies in the IT sector.
To manage the expected surge in demand, EirGrid has access to temporary emergency generation capacity, which can be activated in the event of a shortfall or when system alerts are triggered.