Let It Go? Releasing Unwanted Irish Grid Capacity

Last year the Commission for Energy Regulation ("CER") authorised a limited opportunity for stalled projects to release their capacity in exchange for 80% of their first stage payment. This opportunity, however, was only available to those agreeing to release their full maximum export capacity ("MEC") held under a given gate.

Ultimately, the initiative was not successful in encouraging the release of unused capacity with only two applications received. Projects seeking to release a portion of their capacity remained subject to the rules outlined in the COPP Paper.

The CER has now published a decision entitled 'Connection Policy Transitional Arrangements – Partial Capacity Release' ("CER/17/090") in which it approves the principle of partial capacity release. Projects with unused or unusable capacity have until 30 June 2017 to apply for a reduction in MEC free from the standard MEC reduction charges, i.e. €10,000/MW or €25,000/MW depending on the