SDLP Economy Spokesperson Sinéad McLaughlin MLA has criticised confirmation that the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme will now be delayed.
It will now not be launched until the third quarter of 2026 – despite initial plans for bidding to begin in January of that year.
The delay was revealed during today’s meeting of the Economy Committee, where officials admitted that the scheme – intended to underpin future investment in renewable electricity generation in Northern Ireland – will not open to bids until at least late 2026.
Said the Foyle MLA: “This delay is deeply concerning. The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme is a cornerstone of our pathway to decarbonising electricity in Northern Ireland.
“By pushing it back to late 2026, the department is not only putting our climate targets in jeopardy – it’s also discouraging renewable energy companies from investing here.
“We are already behind the rest of these islands in deploying renewables at scale, and this latest delay risks Northern Ireland falling further back.
“Businesses need long-term clarity and certainty if they are to invest in the infrastructure and skills needed to power our future economy.
“Worse still, this also risks pushing up electricity prices.
“Every year we fail to build cheaper, homegrown renewables means we remain over-exposed to volatile fossil fuel prices and dependent on imports.
“We should be doing everything we can to cut energy bills – not make them worse through political drift and dithering.
“The Minister for the Economy must urgently set out how she intends to make up for this lost time.
“We cannot afford to wait any longer to get serious about renewable electricity and clean energy jobs.”
