Sir, – Last week the UK reopened its natural gas storage facility in the Rough gas field in the North Sea, leaving Ireland standing alone among EU (and former EU) and European Economic Area countries as having no storage capabilities for natural gas.
Last month Germany completed within 200 days the first of four liquefied terminals currently under construction, begun in response to the Ukraine war.
Last month Germany completed within 200 days the first of four liquefied terminals currently under construction, begun in response to the Ukraine war.
Ireland continues to have no ability to import LNG except as part of our imports of natural gas from the UK, where it constitutes an increasing volume given the UK’s LNG import strategy.
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Ireland is a clear outlier in terms of choosing not to invest in either natural gas storage or LNG import capability. By implication, if our energy strategy is correct then the strategy of every other country in Europe must be wrong.
If the Irish Government strategy is found wanting and we are faced at any time in the coming years with power cuts, I wonder if there is any plausible way to explain why the Government stood idly by during a period of emergency and failed to invest in our energy security. – Yours, etc,
PHILIP WHEATLEY,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.