October 2023
We are currently consulting on the Draft Transmission Development Plan for Northern Ireland 2023 - 2032 (TDPNI). The projects outlined in our draft TDPNI will ensure the transmission grid is fit for the future, providing for Northern Ireland’s environmental, societal, and economic aspirations. This enabling infrastructure is required to facilitate the realisation of the Northern Ireland Energy Strategy and Climate Change Act.
Given the importance of this Plan in meeting Northern Ireland’s energy and climate change ambitions, the views and feedback from the energy industry, central government and other key stakeholders on its details are of vital importance.
To coincide with Draft Transmission Development Plan, we are also consulting on the associated Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA).
We would like to thank all stakeholders and interested parties who respond to the Draft Transmission Development Plan Consultation, and the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA). Your feedback is important to us. We look forward to your consultation responses on the proposals contained in this document.
October 2022
The Utility Regulator has published its decision paper approving the Transmission Development Plan 2021-2030 (TDPNI)
The TDPNI is SONI’s annual report setting out the planned development to be carried out by SONI and NIE Networks on the Northern Ireland electricity transmission system over the next ten years. This is work that is required to maintain the system and to enable the energy transition and further decarbonisation of our energy usage.
We consulted on the draft TDPNI earlier this year, and published our response to
the consultation before submitting the document to the Regulator, who consulted on it again. Our response to their consultation can be found here. Thank you to all who provided feedback.
The final document is available here.
January 2022
SONI has published the TDPNI 2021-2030 for consultation from 18th January 2022 to 15th March 2022. Visit our consultation portal for more information.
March 2021
The Utility Regulator has today published its decision paper approving the Transmission Development Plan 2020-2029 (TDPNI)
The TDPNI is SONI’s annual report setting out the planned development to be carried out by SONI and NIE Networks on the Northern Ireland electricity transmission system over the next ten years. This is work that is required to maintain the system and to enable the energy transition and further decarbonisation of our energy usage.
We consulted on the draft TDPNI earlier this year, and published our response to the consultation before submitting the document to the Regulator, who consulted on it again. Thank you to all who provided feedback.
The final document is available here.
We will now commence work on TDPNI 2021 – 2030 which we plan to publish for consultation later this year.
January 2021
We have now published our response to the SONI consultation and the responses received. The draft TDPNI has been submitted to the Utility Regulator who will begin their consultation on the document in the coming weeks.
December 2020
Thanks to those organisations who responded to our consultation on the draft Transmission Development Plan for Northern Ireland 2020-29. We are in the process of reviewing your submissions. We are working on our consultation response document which we will publish to the SONI website in January before submitting the TDPNI to the Utility Regulator. The Utility Regulator will also hold a five week consultation on our proposed plans for the future of the NI grid. This consultation will take place in the new year. We will then respond to the submissions to the Utility Regulator’s consultation before seeking final approval from the regulator for the TDPNI. The approved TDPNI will then be published here on our website.
November 2020
SONI has published the TDPNI 2020-2029 for consultation from 10 November to 11 December 2020. See the project page for details.
June 2020
The TDPNI 2019-2028 has been approved for publication by the Utility Regulator and is available here, along with the Environmental Appraisal Report and consultation response documents. The UR’s decision paper can be viewed here on the UR website.
We have now commenced work on TDPNI 2020-2029, which we hope to publish later this year.
February 2020
SONI published the TDPNI2019-2028 for consultation between November and December 2019. We received responses from Moyle Interconnector Limited, Scottish Power Renewables, and the Northern Ireland Renewables Industry Group. These replies, and our response to them, can be seen here.
SONI will now submit the TDPNI 2019-2028 to the Utility Regulator for review and for their consultation.
November 2019
SONI (System Operator for Northern Ireland) has prepared a draft Transmission Development Plan (TDPNI 2019-2028) for Grid Development in Northern Ireland between 2019 and 2028.
The TDPNI 2019-2028 outlines how we propose to improve and develop the Northern Ireland transmission grid over the next 10 years.
The plan details various project options that may be developed over this period to ensure a safe, secure and reliable transmission system for Northern Ireland.
The SONI policies and objectives that guide sustainable grid development are also detailed in the TDPNI.
We want you to have the opportunity to comment on and influence the TDPNI before it is finalised.
You can view an online version of the TDPNI and associated documents here.
Anyone with a view can make a submission from 21st November 2019 to midnight on 19th December 2019.
A further period of consultation on the updated TDPNI will be carried out by the Utility Regulator early in 2020. We will keep our website updated to ensure anyone interested remains informed.
Submissions can also be made by email to info@soni.ltd.uk. Please include “Response to TDPNI Consultation” in the title of any email response. If sending by post, please address to: TDPNI 2019-2028, SONI Ltd, 12 Manse Road, Belfast, BT6 9RT.
July 2019
The Utility Regulator has completed the consultation on the TDPNI 2018-2027 and SONI have responded to the consultation responses received. Details of this consultation, including SONI’s response, can be seen here.
The Utility Regulator has now approved the TDPNI 2018-2027 for publication. SONI adopted the Plan formally on 8 July 2019.
The final TDPNI 2018-2027 can be viewed here, alongside the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Report and the SEA Statement.
The Plan and associated SEA documents can also be viewed free of charge at SONI’s offices during office hours by prior arrangement. Please contact info@soni.ltd.uk.
We have now commenced work on TDPNI 2019-2028 which we intend to publish later this year.
April 2019
SONI completed our consultation on the TDPNI 2018-2027 and associated environmental reports in January 2019. Our consultation response and the updated TDPNI can be found here.
Under Condition 40 of the SONI Licence the Utility Regulator are now required to undertake a consultation on the TDPNI 2018-2027. This will run until 5pm on 24 May 2019. Details can be found here.
SONI will respond to this consultation before finalising the TDPNI 2018-2027 for publication. We will then begin work on TDPNI 2019-2028.
November 2018 - January 2019
We want you to have the opportunity to comment on and influence the TDPNI and associated environmental reports (Strategic Environmental Assessment – Environmental Report and Habitats Regulation Assessment) before they are finalised.
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a process by which environmental considerations are integrated into the preparation of plans and programmes prior to their completion. SEA aims to provide a high level of protection of the environment, integrating environmental considerations into the preparation and adoption of plans, promoting sustainable development.
Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) is a process by which impacts on nature conservation sites, designated Special Areas of conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Areas (SPA) are examined. This assessment aims to ensure that a plan will not have an negative effect on the integrity of any SAC or SPA site.
We want to hear your views on how environmental considerations have been integrated into the TPDNI 2018-2027. SONI welcomes your views, or those of any group or organisation you represent on these documents.
The period for submitting your views runs from 27 November 2018 to 31 January 2019.
A further period of consultation on the updated TDPNI will be open later in 2019 by the Utility Regulator.
To view hardcopies of the draft TDPNI and associated environmental reports, visit RPS (environmental consultants engaged on this project), 74 Boucher Road, Belfast, BT12 6RZ. Their offices are open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5.30pm.
Note: The RPS offices will be closed for Christmas from Monday 24 December 2018 from 1pm until Wednesday 02 January 2019 at 8.30am.
Submissions can also be made by email to info@soni.ltd.uk. Please include “Response to TDPNI Consultation” in the title of any email response. If sending by post, please address to: TDPNI 2018-2028, SONI Ltd, 12 Manse Road, Belfast, BT6 9RT.
You can view an online version of the TDPNI and associated documents here.