Firm Access Quantities
Firm Access Quantities
On 29 January 2010 EirGrid published the results of its original analysis of Gate 3 Firm Access Quantities (FAQs). The following document details the results of this analysis and identifies potential levels of firm access available in the transmission network for each Gate 3 project for every year until firm access for the project’s full MEC (Maximum Export Capacity) is achieved. This information was provided as part of the Gate 3 Connection Offer Process and can also be viewed on the Commission for Energy Regulation’s website.
Prompted by the need to re-run the constraints analysis for Gate 3 projects and recognising some modelling improvements that were introduced since the original FAQ analysis was completed for Gate 3 projects in 2010, in November 2011 EirGrid commenced a re-study of Gate 3 FAQs. As part of this study EirGrid will also calculate FAQs for Non-GPA applications that had valid connection offers or executed connection agreements up to an including the 20 September 2011. The technical assumptions underpinning the Gate 3 & Eligible Non-GPA FAQ analysis are available here:
Following the CER’s direction in June 2011 (CER/11/102), pre Gate 3 generators can now also avail of incremental levels of transmission firm access in line with the completion of grid reinforcements. The inaugural analysis for Gate 1 was completed by EirGrid in August 2011 while that for Gate 2 was completed in December 2011. The following documents detail the results of the analyses.
- Gate 1 Firm Access Quantities (published December 2011)
- Gate 2 Firm Access Quantities (published December 2011)
Details of the Associate Transmission Reinforcements for Gate 1 and Gate 2 projects can be found at: Associated Transmission Reinforcements
EirGrid intends to annually re-assess FAQs for all partially firm or non firm generators with valid connection offers or connection agreements. This annual round of analysis will assess the level of transmission firm access available in the transmission network at the time of the study plus the expected levels of firm access available in future years.
For further information on how Firm Access Quantities are calculated and some related information, please refer to the documents below.
An audit of the results of EirGrid’s initial FAQ analysis for Gate 3 was carried out by consultants appointed by EirGrid in accordance with the CER direction CER/08/260. The audit report can be viewed by clicking on the link below: