Likely entrants into the electricity market

Viridian/CRH:

The two companies are planning a £300 million combined cycle gas plant at Huntstown, near Finglas in Dublin. The plant, to be built in two phases, will produce 600 megawatts of power, which is large by Irish standards.

Viridian, which is quoted in London and Dublin stockmarkets, needs to expand beyond the Northern Ireland market where it operates as Northern Ireland Electricity. Demand there is sluggish and the prospects for further growth are limited.

The company buys electricity in Northern Ireland and is not involved in generation there. In recent years it acquired a large number of staff from Yorkshire Electricity to head up a generation arm to target new markets.

CRH is the fourth largest company on the Irish stock exchange and is one of the largest electricity customers in the Republic. The site for the new plant is on its lands at Huntstown quarry.

Work on the plant is currently being delayed by planning difficulties and an appeal has been lodged by local residents to An Bord Pleanala. The residents are concerned about the safety aspects of the plant and the height of its structure.

Bord Gais/ Canadian Utilities:

The companies have confirmed they have formed a partnership to build a gas fired power station but refuse to disclose its location or cost. Sources suggest the most likely location is somewhere in the south and it may produce more than 280 megawatts.

Canadian Utilities is a subsidiary of Atco Ltd, which is quoted on the stock exchange in Toronto, where its market capitalisation is put at more than Canadian $4 billion. Its corporate headquarters are located in Alberta, Canada, although the company is involved in electricity projects in Britain and Australia. Bord Gais has been looking at power generation opportunities for several years and its access to a gas supply will mean its costs will be lowered.

IVO

The Finnish company is currently building a £100 million, 120 megawatt Europeat station at Edenderry, Co Offaly. It was the first independent power producer to win such a contract in the Republic and one of the losing companies in the tendering process was the ESB.

IVO's parent is the Fortum Group which specialises in peat burning stations, but is involved in other types of projects, including oil. The ESB is obliged to buy power from the station under a 15-year contract.

IVO claims the process of deregulation in the industry will lead to a cut of 20 per cent in electricity prices for everyone. It has expressed an interest in other projects in the Republic, but no details have been disclosed.

Marathon

This company based in Houston, Texas, owns and operates the Kinsale gas field, which remains the largest find ever made in Irish waters. However, it will run dry within a couple of years and the company is looking at other ways to maintain a business presence in Ireland.

It is currently involved in bidding for a stake in a field with similar potential to Kinsale - the Corrib located off the coast of Co Mayo.

The company was considering using its facilities off the coast of Cork to set up a power project, but sources have suggested these plans may have been put on hold.