Fintan Slye
Energy infrastructure company Eirgrid has announced that Fintan Slye is to become its next chief executive, taking over from current chief Dermot Byrne, who is retiring at the end of September.
Slye is currently director of operations at Eirgrid, while he has also worked in Ireland and internationally with McKinsey and Company and ESB National Grid. He is set to take up the chief executive role in September.
Announcing the news this morning, Eirgrid’s chairperson Bernie Gray spoke about Slye’s expertise in the electricity industry.
In his current role, Slye has responsibility for managing Eirgrid and System Operator for Northern Ireland (SONI)’s programme of work to facilitate the integration of renewables on the power system. He completed a master’s in business administration from UCD in 2001 and a master’s in engineering science in 1993.
Having paid tribute to Byrne for his role as chief executive over the past seven years, Gray then spoke about what lies ahead for Slye at Eirgrid, which operates the electricity transmission grid in Ireland, and owns SONI.
“We look forward to working with Fintan in addressing the opportunities and the challenges which lie ahead for Eirgrid. He takes up the role at a very exciting time for everyone at Eirgrid as we continue to play a vital role in the economies of Ireland and Northern Ireland – developing critical infrastructure and enabling sustainable, competitive, secure energy for the future,” said Gray.
East-West Interconnector
The state company is currently developing the East-West Interconnector, a 500-megawatt capacity underground and undersea link between the Irish and UK electricity grids. This interconnector is expected to be ready to go live in September.
In June, Eirgrid held the first of its capacity auctions for energy companies, especially those with wind-farm operations, to bid to trade energy on the East West Interconnector.
It had held a similar event in London, also in June, to help energy firms in the UK get up to speed on how the auction process will work.
Ireland’s Energy Minister Pat Rabbitte, TD, and the UK’s Energy Minister Charles Hendry, MP, have also agreed upon a process to develop a formal memorandum of understanding (MoU) on renewable energy trading between the two countries.
The two ministers will be aiming to finalise the MoU by the end of the year.
