Northern Ireland Electricity
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| Northern Ireland Electricity plc | |
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| Type of Company | Private (subsidiary of Viridian Group) |
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| Founded | 25 October 1991 |
| Headquarters | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Industry | Energy |
| Revenue | £693.2 million (2006) |
| Operating income | £117.6 million |
| Employees | 351 (2006) |
| Parent | Viridian Group |
| Website | http://www.nie.co.uk |
Northern Ireland Electricity plc (NIE) is the electricity transmission company in Northern Ireland. NIE does not generate electricity but purchases it from several power stations in Northern Ireland, as well as interconnectors with the Republic of Ireland and Scotland. NIE is a subsidiary of Viridian Group.
NIE jointly operates the Moyle Interconnector with Scottish Power, and has three interconnectors with the Electricity Supply Board in the Republic of Ireland. The main interconnector with the Republic of Ireland was built in 1970 between Tandragee and Louth but the Troubles saw the interconnector destroyed in 1975 and left in that state for twenty years until repair.
[edit] History
In 1973 the Northern Ireland Electricity Service (NIES) was formed as a public utility to generate, transmit and supply electricity to Northern Ireland.
During the Ulster Workers Council Strike in 1974 when electricity supplies were severely disrupted the government considered generating power using nuclear submarines in Belfast Lough but the idea was abandoned as being technically unfeasible.
In 1991 the company was incorporated as a government owned public limited company, Northern Ireland Electricity plc. In 1992 the four power stations at Belfast, Ballylumford, Derry (Coolkeeragh) and Carrickfergus (Kilroot) were demerged and sold. In 1993 the remainder of NIE (transmission, supply and retail businesses) was privatised as Northern Ireland Electricity plc. In 1998 Northern Ireland Electricity plc became part of Viridian Group plc, with Northern Ireland Electricity now a subsidiary of that holding company. Northern Ireland Electricity supplies electricity to approximately 740,000 homes and businesses in Northern Ireland.
NIE has often been criticised for having the most expensive electricity in Europe. This is attributed to a number of factors including the small population of Northern Ireland and the large areas of thinly populated countryside the company is required to serve. The large amount of redundant generating capacity in the system (to ensure security of supply during demand peaks) and the network's over dependence on oil-fired generation. Although cynics claim the lack of competition in the Northern Ireland market is the real reason.
[edit] See also
- List of Irish companies
- Energy policy of the United Kingdom
- Energy use and conservation in the United Kingdom
[edit] External links
| Electricity generation in Ireland |  |
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(NI) indicates Northern Ireland |
