Northern Ireland’s grid operator, SONI, is seeking the views of its stakeholders as part of a fundamental review of its approach to engaging with local communities, businesses, landowners, and the energy industry.

As the Transmission System Operator, SONI has the responsibility for planning the upgrades to the high voltage electricity grid infrastructure to facilitate more renewable energy, which is key to supporting the delivery of Northern Ireland’s renewable energy targets.

The Northern Ireland Energy Strategy and the Climate Change (Northern Ireland) Act 2022 set a legal target of 80% of electricity consumed coming from renewable sources by 2030. To enable more renewable energy to be integrated onto the power system, SONI has to strengthen and enhance the grid infrastructure.

The organisation recently consulted on its draft Transmission Development Plan, which sets out the grid infrastructure upgrades needed over the next ten years.

With less than six years until 2030, SONI is seeking views on how it can enhance its engagement with local communities, landowners, businesses, and the energy industry.

To support a review of the grid operator’s engagement processes, SONI has issued a “Call for Views” in three key areas: 1) SONI’s overall Stakeholder Engagement Strategy; 2) its approach to public engagement through its public engagement model; and, 3) its approach to landowner engagement through a Landowner Charter.

SONI Managing Director, Alan Campbell, said:

“In addition to ensuring everyone in Northern Ireland has a secure, reliable supply of electricity in the present, SONI has the responsibility for delivering a cleaner energy future for homes, farms, and businesses across Northern Ireland. This means we have to transform the electricity grid and how we use it to facilitate more renewable electricity to support Northern Ireland’s clean energy targets.

“We understand that local communities, landowners, businesses and industry partners are at the heart of this unprecedented change in our electricity system and that’s why SONI is leaving no stone unturned to ensure we are engaging and working collaboratively as best we can in delivering our role to support the energy transition.”

More information on how to respond can be found here.