Northern Ireland Electricity
 |
|
| Private (subsidiary of ESB Group) | |
| Industry | Energy |
| Founded | 25 October 1991 |
| Headquarters | Northern Ireland |
| Revenue | £693.2 million (2006) |
| £117.6 million | |
|
Number of employees
|
351 (2006) |
| Parent | ESB Group |
| Website | http://www.nienetworks.co.uk |
Northern Ireland Electricity Networks Limited (NIE Networks) is the electricity asset owner of the transmission and distribution infrastructure in Northern Ireland. NIE Networks does not generate or supply electricity. NIE Networks is a subsidiary of ESB Group.
NIE Networks has three transmission interconnectors with the Electricity Supply Board transmission grid 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.
NIE Networks should not be confused with Power NI, its own former supply business, which was not part of the sale to the ESB and remains owned by Viridian. NIE Energy changed its name to Power NI on 25 July 2011, as ESB retained the NIE name in Northern Ireland. This was changed to NIE Networks in 2015.
In 1973 the Northern Ireland Electricity Service (NIES) was formed as a public utility to generate, transmit and supply electricity to Northern Ireland.
During the Ulster Workers' Council strike in 1974, when electricity supplies were severely disrupted, the government considered generating power using Royal Navy nuclear submarines in Belfast Lough but the idea was abandoned as being technically unfeasible.
In 1991, the company was incorporated as a government-owned public limited company, Northern Ireland Electricity plc. In 1992 the four power stations at Belfast Harbour, Ballylumford, Coolkeeragh and Carrickfergus (Kilroot) were demerged and sold. In 1993 the remainder of NIE (transmission, supply and retail businesses) was privatised as Northern Ireland Electricity plc. In 1998, Northern Ireland Electricity plc became part of Viridian Group plc, with Northern Ireland Electricity now a subsidiary of that holding company. NIE Networks supplies electricity to approximately 840,000 homes and businesses in Northern Ireland.
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