The Consumer Council statement on Kilroot and Ballylumford Power Stations

John French, Chief Executive of The Consumer Council, said: “Following today’s announcement by AES, assurances will need to be provided to Northern Ireland consumers about the long and medium term cost and reliability of electricity in Northern Ireland.

“The Consumer Council recognises that Northern Ireland’s energy market has become increasingly diversified in recent years with renewables now playing a key role, and that the new Integrated Single Electricity Market (I-SEM), will over this auction period (16 months from 23 May 2018) bring cost savings. However, over the last three years Kilroot has met around one-fifth of Northern Ireland’s electricity demand, and therefore reassurances are needed from both the I-SEM Committee and System Operator for NI (SONI) that this will ultimately not be counter-productive for Northern Ireland’s consumers in the long and medium term.”