Interconnectors play an important role in maintaining secure electricity supplies. By increasing transfer capacity between markets, LirIC will:

• Diversify sources of supply
• Reduce reliance on local generation during periods of system stress or outages
• Provide additional flexibility in responding to unexpected events

This strengthens overall security of supply for consumers in both Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

A key driver for LirIC is the move towards a low-carbon energy system. Northern Ireland and Great Britain are rapidly increasing renewable generation, particularly offshore and onshore wind. However, renewable output can vary depending on weather conditions.

LirIC will help manage this variability by allowing surplus renewable electricity to be exported when local demand is low and imported when supply is tighter. This reduces the need to curtail renewable generation and ensures clean energy is used more efficiently across both markets.

One of the most direct benefits of LirIC is its potential to lower electricity costs for consumers. By connecting two electricity markets, LirIC enables power to flow from where it is cheaper to produce to where it is more expensive, helping to equalise prices and reduce overall energy bills. Greater market integration increases competition, drives efficiency, and reduces the cost of balancing the electricity system — savings that can ultimately be passed on to households and businesses on both sides of the border.

Importantly, taxpayers' money will not be used at any stage of the development or construction of LirIC. The project will be privately financed, ensuring that the benefits of the interconnector are delivered without placing any burden on the public purse.