EirGrid
Irish state-owned transmission system operator that plans and runs the high-voltage grid, operates interconnectors to Great Britain and, with SONI, the Single Electricity Market.
Industry: Electricity transmission system operator | Location: Dublin, Ireland | Founded: 2001
About EirGrid
EirGrid plc is the state-owned electricity transmission system operator for Ireland. It plans, manages and develops the country's high-voltage grid, which connects to the ESB Networks distribution system. With SONI, its subsidiary in Northern Ireland, it operates the Single Electricity Market for the island of Ireland.\n\nAccording to Wikipedia, the Government of Ireland founded EirGrid on 7 February 2001, and the company took over operation of the national power system on 1 July 2006. Its headquarters are in Ballsbridge, Dublin. EirGrid acquired SONI in 2009; SONI keeps its own independent board under its licence. Cathal Marley became chief executive in April 2025. He previously led Gas Networks Ireland and spent about 20 years at ESB. Brendan Tuohy chairs EirGrid Group.\n\nThe group manages and operates the East-West Interconnector, which Wikipedia says was commissioned in 2012 with a capacity of 500 MW, and the Greenlink Interconnector, both linking Ireland to Great Britain. With RTE of France it is developing the Celtic Interconnector, and 84 km of submarine cable had been laid in Irish waters by the end of its 2025 financial year. Its role has also been extended to operating and owning Ireland's offshore electricity transmission grid, and its Group Strategy 2026 to 2030 sets four pillars, including building the backbone and unlocking new frontiers.\n\nEirGrid published its annual report for the year ended 30 September 2025 on 29 June 2026. It reported underlying profit of 23.2 million euros, down from 25.6 million, and gross profit before tax under IFRS of 429.1 million euros, up from 9.8 million, mainly because of regulatory timing differences and a 151 million euro grant release. It proposed a 4 million euro dividend to Government. The report cites up to 18.9 billion euros of investment over five years for EirGrid and ESB Networks, and a Government equity commitment of 2 billion euros for offshore transmission.\n\nIn that year EirGrid connected 394 MW of renewable generation, made up of 180 MW of solar, 151 MW of wind and 63 MW of storage, and energised 28 projects. Irish electricity demand set a new peak of 6,024 MW on 8 January 2025.
Leadership
- Cathal Marley, Chief Executive Officer
- Brendan Tuohy, Chair, EirGrid Group