Plans to ease Ireland’s near total dependence on energy imports via Britain have shot to the top of the agenda, the nation’s energy minister said on Monday, as it grapples with the risk of how Brexit could alter ties with its key partner.
Two projects long in the planning — a power cable to France, built by French grid operator RTE and Ireland’s EirGrid, and a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal — are newly being prioritized, Energy Minister Denis Naughten told Reuters.
“It has become a bigger priority for everyone on foot of Brexit ... because we are so dependent on imports of energy, we need to have options available to us,” said Naughten following a meeting of EU energy ministers in Brussels.
Although Naughten said neither project was short of financing, he acknowledged they had been slowed by a lack of clarity and disputes over costing for connecting to the distribution network — issues he said were now being tackled.

Source: Arab News