Assurances given on electricity supplies as cold winter spell arrives

Ireland should have enough energy supply to cope with demand throughout the winter, it has been confirmed. 

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland on Thursday, Keith Leonard chair of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management said the margins between power supply and demand would be tight "throughout the winter".

Electricity supply is "well able to cope" he confirmed.

However, he added that an increased level of demand will put some pressure on energy supplies. 

"The margins between supply and demand on the electricity network are going to be tight throughout the winter, and that low wind speed has an effect," he said.

"However the current information that I have is that the supply is well able to cope with the current conditions."

Met Éireann has recently issued a yellow alert weather warning with cold weather set to last for the coming days. 

Sunny spells this afternoon, as wintry showers become confined to northern & northwestern coastal counties

However, after-dark showers of sleet & snow may move into parts of the east⚠️

Highest temperatures of just 1 to 5 degrees, in light northerly or variable breezes️ pic.twitter.com/iq8bjS7dzB

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) December 8, 2022

The alert is valid from 10pm today, Thursday December 8, until 10am on Friday December 9. 

A second alert forecasting black ice and freezing rain on surfaces is also in place until 12pm today (Thursday). 

The Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect until 9am on Monday, December 12 and warns of an Arctic airmass setting in, causing sharp to severe frosts and ice on roads and footpaths.