Eamon Ryan and Eirgrid to face Oireachtas committee over blackout fears

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities, Ireland's energy watchdog, and Environment Minister Eamon Ryan will go before an emergency Oireachtas committee meeting to face questions over potential energy blackouts.

The Oireachtas climate committee will hold an urgent meeting next Tuesday after a number of members wrote to the chairman Brian Leddin over blackout fears, the Irish Examiner reports.

Mr Ryan has insisted that he does not expect power outages over the winter, however, he warned the "real challenge" will be rising energy costs.

He said the Government is considering windfall charges for on energy companies ahead of next month's budget.

"We expect to be able to provide the power that this country needs in the next two to three months."

The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) and grid operator EirGrid have both said there will be a "tight" margin between energy used and demanded this winter.

Amber alerts, which mean this margin is "smaller than optimum", were issued by EirGrid twice this month.