The Irish government has welcomed the publication of the Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Bill 2025, which will support the development and expansion of the country’s electricity grid, as well as its transition to a renewable future.
The bill, which will now pass through the Houses of the Oireachtas for approval, will see the government invest €1.5 billion in ESB Networks, Ireland’s electricity grid supplier, over the next five years.
This will finance what has been described as an ‘unprecedented’ investment plan for the period 2026-2030, which will cover more than 500 capital projects, including 181 kilometres of new overhead lines, 319 kilometres of underground cables, close to 70 new or upgraded substations, and the replacement of 50,000 electricity poles.
As well as backing housing development and foreign direct investment, it will also support ‘Ireland’s transition to greater levels of renewable energy and safeguard against damage from future weather events’, the government said.
‘Modernising and future-proofing’
“This €1.5 billion investment is crucial to modernising and future-proofing our electricity network infrastructure,” commented Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien. “We want to ensure that every home and every business has a reliable and secure source of electricity, including the 300,000 new homes we’ve committed to build by 2030.
“This investment will deliver energy security for Irish families and communities across the country. It will drastically improve network resilience against future weather events. It will create thousands of jobs. And it will make Ireland a more attractive place for international companies to invest and grow.”
The bill also provides for an increase in ESB’s statutory borrowing limit from €12 billion to €17 billion.
Paddy Hayes, chief executive of ESB, added that the increase in investment is “essential” to support economic development and improved resilience, while delivering an “increasingly decarbonised electricity system – for customers, for the economy and for our future.”
Community action
Elsewhere, Minister O’Brien announced funding of almost €27 million from the Climate Action Fund (CAF) to support community climate action projects across the country.
Following the phase one process of the Community Climate Action Programme (CCAP), which saw €24 million allocated to support 650 climate action projects, phase two will see funding provided by the CAF to all local authorities across Ireland, to partner with community groups engaged in climate-positive projects.
“With the launch of the new phase of CCAP, local authorities can continue empowering community groups to take practical steps that build vibrant, low-carbon, and resilient communities for generations to come,” the Minister commented. Read more here and here.
