Ireland’s leading maritime newspaper covering the Coastal, Fishing and Maritime Communities

MARINE TIMES NEWS April 21st:
EirGrid announces substantial procurement package for offshore wind in Ireland

EirGrid, the operator and developer of the Ireland's electricity grid, has today announced a procurement package worth hundreds of millions of euros for works related to the delivery of offshore wind.

The Powering Up Offshore – South Coast Tonn Nua Substation Package is the first major transmission procurement launched under this framework and marks a key milestone in operationalising Ireland’s offshore ambitions.

The scope of the package includes, the design, fabrication, installation, and commissioning of offshore substations, associated HV equipment, onshore compensation compound works, and related engineering scope.

In 2021, Ireland opted to move towards a plan-led rollout of offshore renewables and infrastructure.

As part of that work, EirGrid, as Ireland’s transmission system operator has been tasked with bringing forward a plan to deliver on the Government’s offshore ambitions of 5 GW of offshore wind in the coming years.

The procurement is being launched via the Achilles Supply Line Platform on Thursday 23rd April 2026 reflecting a more integrated and scalable packaging strategy, informed by extensive market engagement.

Pictured l-r: Liam Ryan, Chief Transformation, Technology and Offshore Officer, EirGrid; Aisling Greene, Principal Officer, Offshore Energy Division, Department Climate, Energy and the Environment; Timmy Dooley, Minister of State for the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine; Cathal Marley, Chief Executive Officer, EirGrid; Suzanne Collins, Head of Public Relations, EirGrid and Noel Cunniffe, Chief Executive Officer, Wind Energy Ireland

Announcing the package at EirGrid’s event at the 2026 WindEurope conference in Madrid, EirGrid’s CEO Cathal Marley said, “It is estimated that the substation package procurements being launched today will be valued in excess of hundreds of millions of euros, demonstrating the progress being made to deliver offshore renewables at scale, a critical step towards a cleaner energy future.

“I encourage the entire supply chain across these areas to engage with EirGrid and support us to harness the significant offshore wind resource that exists in Irish waters.”

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine, Timmy Dooley, said, “Ireland is at a pivotal moment for offshore development, with the scale of the opportunity now clear and the right national policy architecture in place. Through the National DMAP and a shift from ambition to delivery, we are moving towards a planned, long-term offshore sector underpinned by collaboration across Government, agencies, industry and communities.

“Today’s event, alongside the successful Tonn Nua auction and EirGrid’s ongoing south coast surveys, shows this collaborative model is delivering real momentum, and we thank all stakeholders for their continued commitment.”

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In our April edition -

When Guessing Wrong Can Get You a Criminal Record! What Will Be Done with the SFPA?; Does The Government Want Inshore Fishing? The Cost Of Fishing Is Becoming Unsustainable; Fuel Cost Rises Catastrophic for Fishing Fleet - Fishermen forgotten by Government as fuel cost crisis hammers industry; €32m Agreement Reflects Sustained Lobbying ....

.... all of this plus so much more in our April issue

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