Nine projects enter the critical infrastructure queue, three of them grid

Government approved the designation of nine projects and programmes as critical infrastructure on 24 July, the first tranche under the Critical Infrastructure Act 2026. Three are electricity network projects, the North South 400 kV Interconnector, the Moneypoint 400 kV Series Capacitor Project and the Letterkenny 110 kV Redevelopment Project. The remaining six cover transport and water, among them MetroLink, the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme and the Greater Dublin Drainage Project.

Designation requires every public body involved in an approval process to prioritise that project and to coordinate with other bodies. Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Jack Chambers said further designation orders will follow at intervals of roughly two to three months. EirGrid welcomed the designation of the three network projects.

Chambers flags autumn legislation to shorten consent steps

Speaking on 24 July, Jack Chambers said legislation allowing designated projects to circumvent elements of existing decision-making processes is expected to be drafted in the autumn, subject to a higher legal threshold. He described the measure as potentially at the extremity of what is constitutionally permitted, and said he intends to designate further projects at regular intervals rather than publishing long lists every few weeks.

MARA sets end of September for critical infrastructure decisions

Laura Brien, chief executive of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, said the authority expects to clear its backlog of critical state infrastructure applications by the third quarter of 2026, covering projects worth more than €200m. Decisions still to issue include consents for the €500m energy storage project being developed by dCarbonX, Bord Gáis Energy and ESB, and Gas Networks Ireland is preparing an application for the proposed floating LNG terminal in the Shannon estuary. MARA has 69 staff, has issued 116 decisions to date and has 63 live applications.

Cahiracon selected for the Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve

Gas Networks Ireland has selected Cahiracon, Co. Clare, on the Shannon estuary, as the location for Ireland’s Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve. The company cited the estuary’s deep-water access, marine expertise and existing energy infrastructure. A drop-in information clinic is being held at Foynes Community Centre, where the project team will take questions from the public.

Flogas and College Group sign a 26 GWh biomethane supply deal

Flogas and College Group agreed a 26 GWh renewable gas supply agreement announced on 23 July. The gas is produced by anaerobic digestion of agri-food and animal by-products at a facility in Co. Meath and is destined for transport use.

Competitiveness council calls for a rethink of biomethane support

The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council recommended a rethink of how the biomethane sector is supported, and the adoption of a technology neutral approach, in Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2026. The report also addresses LNG.

Bord na Móna’s Reilly says installed wind capacity is beginning to flatline

John Reilly, Head of Renewable Energy at Bord na Móna, wrote on 25 July that installed wind capacity on the power system is beginning to flatline, citing the reNEWS Ireland 2026 Report finding that a single 25 MW wind project was completed in 2025. He put installed capacity at 5.09 GW and said a reasonable scenario drawn from the report is that 6 GW may not be reached by 2030. SEAI has confirmed that around 12 TWh of electricity was generated from wind in 2025, meeting about 32 per cent of demand.

Member states split as EU climate reform talks open

Divisions emerged among member states as negotiations began on the European Commission’s climate reform package, reported on 24 July. Commissioner Jessika Roswall defended the Commission’s Electrification Action Plan, which carries an indicative target of 46 per cent electrification of final energy consumption by 2040 against roughly 23 per cent today. For Ireland, the electrification target and the accompanying ETS revision set the frame for post-2030 energy and carbon budget planning.

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