Energia, the independent energy supplier owned by Viridian, has signed a multi-million euro contract to fire its new Huntstown power station in north Co Dublin with gas from the Seven Heads gas field off the Cork coast.
The €250 million power station, the State's only large privately owned station, was opened by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, earlier this month.
It can deliver 343 megawatts of electricity into the national grid, accounting for up to 10 per cent of the State's annual electricity requirement.
"That a substantive portion of this gas will be sourced from the Seven Heads field means that our dependence on imported gas is lessened considerably, helping to build a self-reliant energy source for Ireland's growing economy," said Dr Allister McQuoid, Energia's managing director.
The contract for the gas supply is with Innogy Ireland Ltd and covers the next 12 months. The exact value of the contract was not revealed.
Since the first steps were taken to deregulate the energy market in February 2002, 1,600 businesses with annual energy expenditure of more than €75,000 at a single premises have been allowed to choose their primary energy provider
A further 12,000 business customers will be deemed eligible to choose their own energy suppliers next year while full market opening will take place in 2005.
Energia currently claims a 34 per cent market share on an all-Ireland basis, supplying more than 250 companies in the Republic.
Its clients include CRH, Lakeland Dairies, Kilsaran Concrete and Marks & Spencer and Liffey Valley Shopping Centre.
Meanwhile, seven consortiums have expressed an interest in building a new electricity power station designed to come on stream by 2005.
Viridian is among the bidders and proposes building a 400 MW plant beside its existing plant at Huntstown.
Another significant expression of interest has been received from British group Scottish & Southern Energy and Bord Gáis Éireann, which are jointly planning a large plant at Plattin in Co Meath.
The US investment bank, Babcock & Brown, is behind the Irish Power Energy consortium, which is proposing a plant in Powerstown in Fingal, close to the existing Viridian site.
The closing date for receipt of tenders from the bidders is September 5th, 2003, and the winner is expected to be announced by October 20th, 2003.
