The six towns are: Gort and Loughrea in Co. Galway, Ballinrobe in Co. Mayo, Cahir and Cashel in Co. Tipperary and Monasterevin in Co. Kildare. The cost of bringing gas to these six towns is approximately €23 million.
The announcement follows approval by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) of Bord Gáis Phase 2 study into the viability of 16 towns, which has just been published. The study evaluated the expected gas demand in the long-term in each town and compared it to the cost of extending the gas network to the town. Towns are evaluated on both a stand-alone basis and as part of a group of towns that are in proximity to each other.
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The evaluation was based on the revised Gas Connections Policy, which was proposed by Bord Gáis and approved by the CER in April 2006. This Policy revised the criteria by which gas network extensions are evaluated and prompted a study by Bord Gáis of the viability of connecting new towns to the gas network. Last year, Phase 1 of the study saw eleven towns along the route of the Mayo-Galway pipeline showing viability. Construction has commenced on this €40m project, with feeder mains to Castlebar and Westport underway.
"Bord Gáis will now continue to visit businesses and developers in the six new towns identified as viable to confirm the level to confirm the level of interest in utilising natural gas," said Mark Holohan, Connections Sales Manager, Bord Gáis. "Once the commitment to connecting to gas meets the level of demand required, Bord Gáis will develop construction plans to bring gas to the viable towns," he added.
(JM)
