Building a resilient energy future for Northern Ireland
With geopolitical uncertainty escalating and global energy prices continuing to impact families, communities and businesses, energy is dominating the headlines and government agendas, writes Alan Campbell, Chief Executive of the System Operator of Northern Ireland (SONI).
Across the world, governments are grappling with how to secure energy supplies, protect consumers from volatility and accelerate the transition to cleaner, more sustainable independent system, all at the same time.
Energy policy now intersects directly with industrial strategy, cost of living pressures, climate commitments and national security considerations. For citizens and businesses alike, the consequences of inaction or delayed or constrained investment are increasingly tangible.
Northern Ireland is not immune from these global pressures. As a relatively small island power system, with limited local fossil fuel resources, our exposure to global volatility is significant.
At the same time, the transition to a low carbon energy system presents a strategic opportunity if it is planned and delivered in a coordinated, timely and system wide manner.
At SONI, as the independent electricity System Operator for Northern Ireland, our responsibility is twofold: to keep Northern Ireland powered today while planning and building a power system that is fit for the future. That task has never been more important, or more complex.
What the global context means locally
Recent energy price shocks have reinforced the importance of energy security and affordability to economic stability and public confidence. For households, electricity is an essential service. For businesses, it underpins productivity, competitiveness and investment decisions. For government, the electricity system is foundational infrastructure that enables wider policy and societal outcomes.
The energy transition brings many opportunities: cleaner air, green jobs, inward investment, reduced reliance on imported fossil fuels and greater protection against volatile global energy prices. But it also presents practical challenges.
We are moving from a system dominated by a small number of large, predictable power stations to one with high volumes of variable renewable generation, such as wind and solar.
Managing that transition safely and cost effectively requires new infrastructure, new technologies and new ways of planning and operating the system.
SONI’s role in delivering public outcomes
SONI plays a central role in maintaining system reliability while enabling change. As System Operator, we balance electricity supply and demand in real time, manage system risks and plan future network requirements based on robust analysis and long-term forecasting.
Our priorities are firmly aligned with outcomes that matter:
- System security and resilience: Ensuring a reliable electricity supply in the face of growing complexity, climate impacts and changing usage patterns.
- Supporting cleaner energy: Enabling the safe integration of higher volumes of renewable generation while maintaining system stability.
- Value for consumers: Ensuring that investment decisions are efficient, evidence based and deliver long term benefits, minimising avoidable costs and reducing consumers bills over time.
Importantly, efficient system operation and timely infrastructure investment are not competing objectives; they are interdependent. Where strategic investment is delayed, operational costs increase and consumers are exposed to greater long-term risk.
Building momentum with common purpose
At SONI, we recognise that delivering a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system depends on collaboration and shared leadership. That is why we work closely with trusted partners such as the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and the Institute of Directors (IoD) to convene businesses from across different sectors and build momentum around common priorities.
In partnership with the IoD, SONI supported the establishment of an Infrastructure and Investment Forum, providing a platform for business leaders to engage on the barriers to infrastructure delivery and the actions required to unlock long-term investment.
Similarly, working with NI Chamber, SONI helped convene an Energy Taskforce bringing together representatives from a wide range of sectors across Northern Ireland.
The Taskforce recently published a position paper titled Building Momentum with Common Purpose, setting out a series of recommendations, including the need for a long term economic strategy to guide investment and policy prioritisation, and the establishment of an all party working group to build shared political leadership for the energy transition.
These themes closely align with the IoD’s report, Getting Infrastructure Back on Track, which examined the challenges facing infrastructure delivery. The overlap between these recommendations underlines the strength of the consensus across industry and the clear need for coordinated, collective action.
The importance of sustained investment
Much of Northern Ireland’s electricity infrastructure was developed to serve a very different generation mix and demand profile. Meeting future needs, will require significant modernisation and targeted expansion of the grid.
Infrastructure investment decisions made this decade will shape costs, security of supply and emissions outcomes well into the 2040s and beyond. Without appropriate investment today, higher costs and reduced policy optionality risk emerging in the future.
A plan led, whole system approach
Looking ahead, it is increasingly clear that a more plan led approach is essential. This means aligning energy infrastructure planning with wider economic and climate plans under a clear Spatial Plan for Northern Ireland that takes a whole system perspective rather than addressing these critical independent issues in isolation.
Electricity does not operate independently of gas networks, transport systems, digital infrastructure or land use planning. Nor can delivery be achieved by any single organisation acting alone. A whole society approach – involving government, regulators, industry, communities and consumers – is essential.
Crucially, pace matters. Prolonged timescales in decision making, consenting or coordination increase delivery risk and cost. Accelerated, but well governed, action will be necessary to realise the benefits of the energy transition while maintaining public confidence.
Delivering outcomes through collaboration
Northern Ireland has a real opportunity to build a more secure, cleaner and affordable energy system, one that underpins economic growth and supports our climate ambitions. Achieving this will demand leadership, partnership and a willingness to invest for the long term.
At SONI, we are committed to playing our part: providing independent, trusted advice; operating the power system safely and reliably; and working collaboratively to deliver the best outcomes for consumers.
We also recognise that local communities and landowners are central to delivering the energy transition. They already shoulder much of the responsibility for hosting the critical infrastructure needed. At the same time, the wider public through everyday choices and behaviours, have an important role to play.
The choices we make now, matter. Investing in infrastructure, embracing a whole system, whole society approach and acting decisively will help ensure that Northern Ireland’s energy system is an asset, not a constraint, on our future.
Building understanding, trust and momentum will require collaboration across industry, government and society, and a shared commitment to bringing people with us on the journey.
For more information on SONI’s role and our plans for the electricity system, visit:
