Ireland has outlined a €18.9 billion investment programme for electricity infrastructure and renewable expansion between 2026 and 2030 under Price Review 6, published by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities alongside the Government. The programme places business energy security, grid capacity and renewable integration at the centre of national policy.

PR6 is designed to accelerate onshore wind and solar deployment while strengthening electricity networks to meet rising demand from households and industry. Provisional data from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland shows average monthly utility-scale solar generation increased from 0.73 TWh in 2024 to 0.99 TWh during the first nine months of 2025. Total solar PV generation reached 1.09 TWh in 2024, with 66.8 per cent coming from utility-scale projects and just over one third from rooftop systems.

Ireland surpassed 2 GW of installed solar capacity in November and reached 1 GW of rooftop solar capacity in December, underlining the pace of renewable build-out. However, the International Energy Agency has warned that generation growth must be matched by sustained grid and system investment.

In its report Powering Ireland’s Energy Future, the IEA said electricity demand is expected to rise sharply over the next decade due to electrification of heat and transport and the continued growth of data centres. It recommended further investment in grid infrastructure, dispatchable generation, storage and demand-side flexibility, alongside faster permitting supported by digital tools.

“Ireland should strategically assess and choose the composition of its electricity supply portfolio, with potential demand trajectories in mind,” the IEA stated, projecting peak residual demand of 10 GW by 2035 and a requirement for up to 16 GW of dispatchable capacity.

Read more on how Ireland’s energy investment programme will reshape electricity infrastructure and supply.

(Photo Credits to David Kernan)