Welcome

The All-Island Project is a joint initiative run by the CER and the NIAUR.

The aim of the project is to create a single market for natural gas and electricity on the island of Ireland. The project was started following a joint policy decision by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland and the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources to create the all-island energy market. By creating a single market, both jurisdictions will benefit from increased competition, reduced energy costs and improved reliability of supply.

In November 2004, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) and the Department of Communications,Energy and Natural Resources(DCENR) together with the NIAUR and the CER published a Development Framework for an All Island Energy Market, setting out the dates by which they expect to achieve these unified markets.

CER and NIAUR have completed the first phase of the project as set out in the Framework Document - the establishment of an all-island wholesale electricity market, known as the Single Electricity Market (SEM). The SEM is a gross pool market, into which all electricity generated on or imported onto the island of Ireland must be sold, and from which all wholesale electricity for consumption on or export from the island of Ireland must be purchased.

The Regulatory Authorities and the Systems Operators of Ireland (EirGrid) and Northern Ireland (SONI) worked together to implement the SEM. The market went Live on 1st November 2007.

As we move into the medium term , priorities will include establishment of the all-island gas market, in line with commissioning of the infrastructure. A longer-term aim will be to maximise the benefits of environmentally sustainable energy; from rapidly maturing wind generatoin and the combined heat and power business, through to the growing rural biomass energy industry and the future promise of substantial energy from the sea.