In its official projections for this winter, Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) said that about 86 per cent of supplies would come via two interconnectors running from Scotland with just under 14 per cent of demand being met from the Corrib field off the Co Mayo coast.
It is also clear from a submission to the Department of Defence that GNI, the State organisation that operates the interconnectors, is concerned at their vulnerability and wants the Government to take action to improve the security of this infrastructure.
The GNI submission was sent to the Department of Defence for consideration as part of the drafting of the Government’s national maritime security strategy, which was launched by Minister for Defence Helen McEntee in late February.
The content of the submission is stark. “The threat to Ireland’s subsea gas interconnector is very much a realistic possibility”, it said.
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It warned that repairs to a damaged interconnector would take a minimum of six months and warned of the potential implications given that Ireland’s gas network supplied 30 per cent of the country’s primary energy needs and more than 40 per cent of electricity generation.
“Any attack on critical subsea infrastructure, whether physical, cyber or through potential disruptions to movement of marine traffic carrying critical supplies, has the potential to cause significant disruption and economic impacts for Ireland.”
GNI said it was “imperative that Ireland enhances its defence capabilities through a multitude of measures”.
It said these included investing in additional maritime surveillance vessels capable of monitoring subsea threats, ensuring a robust naval presence to deter or respond to potential incursions, either directly or through partnering with other nations, effective inter-agency co-ordination between defence, intelligence and civilian maritime authorities, both nationally and internationally, as well as enhancing cyber security capabilities.
GNI also said it was important that steps to mitigate risks to gas supply were taken.
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It said last year the Government had announced the development of a strategic gas emergency reserve, earmarked for the Shannon estuary. This would essentially be a floating storage and regasification unit.
The Government said such a facility would be sufficient to supply 200,000 average domestic gas customers for six months or meet the country’s entire demand for seven days.
However, the unit would use liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the Government’s plan has been criticised by climate change campaigners on the grounds it would lock in dependency on fossil fuels.
However, GNI argued such a facility was vital.
“Projects such as these are critical to mitigating risk, and ultimately ensuring Ireland’s energy and economic security and, as such, their timely delivery should be seen as a key component of Government policy in the wider context of national maritime security.”
