It may be some way short of the level of competition now evident in the telecommunications sector but the cold winds of pragmatism and forward planning chilled ESB this week. The State power generator and supplier tried to grab a head start in a battle for public support over its inability to guarantee power supplies in coming years.
It blamed several factors but, particularly, planning hold-ups and delay in Government approvals, for its failure to be certain of delivering supplies to new industry in the north-west and west especially.
ESB transmissions network manager Bernard O'Reilly said the firm had a programme for expansion but needed to be able to plough ahead without interruptions from objectors or breakdowns.
As the week progressed, however, it become ever more clear that the company had simply failed to plan effectively for the surge in power demand due to the success of the economy. This was despite advice to the same effect from the ESRI dating back several years.
It also emerged that ESB has been dragging its heels in revealing information required by the Government and future competitors. All in all, a bit of a boomerang.
Dominic Coyle can be contacted at dcoyle@irish-times.ie
