Water and electricity infrastructure need investment “at pace” to meet Government housing plans
Uisce Éireann and ESB Networks have told politicians on the Oireachtas Housing Committee that the electricity and water infrastructure needs investment “at pace” if it is to keep up with the Government’s plans to build 300,000 homes between now and 2029.
The Uisce Éireann’s Asset Strategy Manager Angela Ryan said that it was “utterly critical” that the water company made significant progress into major projects to keep up with demand in the Greater Dublin and Midlands regions.
The organisation has requested an additional €2bn for expenditure from Government over the coming five years on top of €10.3bn which has already been allocated.
Úisce Eireann CEO Niall Gleeson getting the additional money depended on the allocation of funds in the National Development Plan which is expected to be announced later this month.
The organisation highlighted significant issues with wastewater and water supplies in the Greater Dublin area.
It said demand for water in the capital was exceeding supplies on a daily basis.
Nicholas Tarrant, CEO of ESB Networks, said the demand for electricity for new homes was twice what it was for housing built in the Celtic Tiger due to the installation of heat pumps and use of electric vehicles.
He said the organisation was now seeing “a major increase in demands for connections to the network.”
He added the electricity network was funded through customer bills, the organisation had submitted a new proposal to its regulator and it expected a price review to be finalised later this year.