The Irish government has approved a landmark €3.5bn investment in Ireland's electricity grid infrastructure over the 2026-2030 period, as part of the National Development Plan. The investment forms is the largest single investment in the electricity network in the state’s history.
Of the total package, €1.5bn will be allocated as equity to the electricity distribution system operator (DSO) ESB Networks, with €2bn going to the national transmission system operator (TSO) EirGrid. The funding will enable both organisations to increase their respective capital investments to expand Ireland’s offshore and onshore electricity transmission and distribution network infrastructure.
Ireland is targeting 8 GW of solar, 9 GW of onshore wind and 5 GW of offshore wind in construction by 2030, to achieve 80% renewable electricity by 2030. In early July 2025, the government approved a policy allowing private companies to invest in private grid connections to bypass the public grid in certain cases.