Northern Ireland Electricity
Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) is the electricity transmission company in Northern Ireland. NIE does not generate electricity but purchases it from several power stations in Northern Ireland, as well as interconnectors with the Republic of Ireland and Scotland.
NIE jointly operates the Moyle Interconnector with Scottish Power, and has three interconnectors with the Electricity Supply Board in the Republic of Ireland. The main interconnector with the Republic of Ireland was built in 1970 between Tandragee and Louth but the Troubles saw the interconnector destroyed in 1975 and left in that state for twenty years until repair.
History
In 1973 the Northern Ireland Electricity Service (NIES) was formed as a public utility to generate, transmit and supply electricity to Northern Ireland. In 1992 the NIES was privatised; the transmission and supply business forming Northern Ireland Electricity plc, while the four power stations at Belfast, Larne (Ballylumford), Derry (Coolkeeragh) and Carrickfergus (Kilroot) were sold on the open market.
In 1998 the Northern Ireland Electricity plc became part of Viridian Group plc, with Northern Ireland Electricity now a subsidiary of that holding company. Northern Ireland Electricity supplies electricity to approximately 740,000 homes and businesses in Northern Ireland.