Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE), which plans to build a gas-fired power station in Huntstown, Co Dublin, said it was interested in a proposal from US company Canatxx to build a gas pipeline between Ireland and Britain.

Canatxx has said it will make the £300 million (€381 million) pipeline (interconnector) available to third parties, including power generators.

NIE needs a gas supply for the Huntstown station and is unlikely to be supplied through Bord Gais's existing interconnector.