Power station may need environment exemption to guarantee supplies
September 20, 2025
Power station may need environment exemption to guarantee supplies
AFP via Getty ImagesKilroot power station may need to be given an exemption from environmental rules to help guarantee electricity supplies in Northern Ireland this winter.
It has two gas-fired turbines which are currently restricted to running for 1,500 hours per year.
Outages at Ballylumford and Coolkeeragh power stations mean these turbines have already been heavily used this year and are now approaching their annual running time limit, as set by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
The company which operates the grid said it is working with the regulator and the Department for the Economy (DfE) to “unlock restrictions to ensure there is sufficient generation”.
Meanwhile, the department told the BBC it is “prepared to use all levers available to government” to address the situation.
“The department has been working with several key stakeholders, including the Environment Agency, to ensure mitigations are put in place to maintain security of supply,” a DfE spokesperson said.
“Security of supply is a key priority,” the department added, insisting it will continually work closely with the energy industry to “ensure the resilience of the system”.
‘A challenging year’
On Monday, the System Operator NI (SONI) issued a four day-long system alert, warning of a “heightened risk” for supply.
The alert was suspended on Friday afternoon, although the operator has said projections highlight the possibility of further alerts this winter.
In a statement, SONI explained that when it issues an alert “there is no immediate impact for users of electricity”.
Instead, the alert “warns of a heightened risk for potential temporary electricity supply issues in the near future”, allowing those working in the electricity sector to take “pre-planned actions to protect the integrity of the grid”.
PA MediaThe operator said it has been a “challenging year operationally” with the prolonged outage at Ballylumford due to damage caused by Storm Darragh, alongside a “significantly extended maintenance outage” at Coolkeeragh.
These outages have meant that SONI has had to “rely more heavily” on Kilroot, however these plants “are now approaching the current limit of hours these generators can run”, it said.
The operator added it is “continuing to work closely with power station operators, the Utility Regulator and the Department for Economy to unlock restrictions to ensure there is sufficient generation to meet system needs and consumer demands as we head into the winter peak”.
‘Delicately balanced’
Analysis by Louise Cullen, BBC News NI’s BBC News NI agriculture and environment correspondent
While gas may be greener than oil, it is still a fossil fuel and the limits on how many hours Kilroot can use gas for generating power are there for a good reason.
They’ve been calculated in line with our greenhouse gas emissions targets, as set within the Climate Change Act and the carbon budgets, so reducing emissions means reducing power output.
The limits may be lifted when the plant converts to a combined cycle gas turbine to capture and utilise the residual heat from burning gas. The plan is for that to happen next year.
But this notification shows how delicately balanced our energy system can be when put under pressure.
It adds to the argument for more locally-sourced, sustainable energy – and storage to have it available for the system.
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