Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve

The Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve (SGER) is a state-led, nationally significant project that will provide Ireland with an immediate and reliable backup source of natural gas in the event of a major disruption to the country’s existing gas supply.  

Ireland imports around 80% of its natural gas via two interconnectors from Great Britain, a dependency that will grow as indigenous supplies decline. If an interconnector failure were to occur, there would be severe disruption to heating and electricity to homes and businesses for an extended period of up to several months.

The Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve will mitigate this critical risk by providing access to an alternate gas source, via the global Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) market. 
 

Liquified natural gas (LNG) is natural gas cooled to a liquid state to better facilitate transportation and storage, as it requires less space than gaseous natural gas. If the supply is needed, heat will be added to raise the temperature in a process called regasification. Regasification can occur at onshore terminals, offshore facilities, or specialised ships like floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs). 

The Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve (SGER) is intended as a temporary safeguard to support Ireland’s energy security. It will remain in place only for as long as the Irish energy system requires backup from natural gas.

Natural gas plays a critical role in stabilising the electricity grid by backing up intermittent renewable sources like wind and solar. As Ireland advances its transition to a fully renewable energy system and the risk of gas supply disruption diminishes, the Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) will be decommissioned and sail away. At that point, the state-owned jetty and onshore facilities can be repurposed for other strategic uses.

Current modelling, subject to further detailed analysis over the coming year, indicates that the SGER may be needed until the mid-2040s. 

The Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve (SGER) will address the critical risk of a sudden and high-impact disruption to Ireland’s natural gas supply. Ireland imports around 80% of its natural gas via two interconnectors from Great Britain and will depend almost entirely on imports by the early 2030’s as indigenous supplies decline. If the largest of these interconnectors were to fail, there would be disruption to electricity generation for an extended period of up to several months.  

GNI followed a rigorous multi-criteria assessment process to identify a site that best meets the specific financial, technical, environmental and operational requirements of the SGER project. 

In 2024, the early stages of this assessment moved from considering the whole coastline of Ireland and focused on a number of locations within the Shannon Estuary and Cork Harbour which have conditions suited for developments of this scale (sheltered, deep water in close proximity to existing gas and electricity infrastructure). Following detailed analysis and refinement, including on the ground surveying (across 2024 and 2025), Cahiracon, Co. Clare, along the Shannon Estuary was chosen as the preferred site. 
 

The Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve (SGER) was established as part of the Government’s strategic response to growing energy security risks and the need for a stable transition to renewable energy. It originates from the “Energy Security in Ireland to 2030” report, approved by Government in November 2023. This report outlined 28 actions under the pillars of sustainability, affordability, and security.

Action 17 of the plan called for the development of a state-led strategic gas reserve to protect Ireland against supply disruptions. The decision was informed by lessons from recent global energy shocks, including the disruption to European gas supplies following the invasion of Ukraine, and domestic electricity capacity shortfalls.

Following the report, the Government appointed Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) to prepare a detailed proposal on the optimum solution to deliver a State-led strategic gas emergency reserve to protect Ireland in the event of an unexpected gas supply disruption, and produce a detailed recommendation, on behalf of the state.  

An assessment of 24 different technical solutions was undertaken by GNI and subsequent reports set out recommendations, including a Floating Storage and Regassification Unit (FSRU) as the likely fit for Ireland’s needs.

The Government approved the development of the SGER in March 2025, confirming that the reserve will take the form of a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU). The FSRU will be owned and operated on behalf of the State by Gas Networks Ireland (GNI), as a state-led, non-commercial, emergency-only facility. This approach is consistent with Ireland’s climate law and avoids fossil fuel lock-in by ensuring the reserve is temporary, transitional, and does not support increased gas demand.

For more information, please visit Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment. 

The Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve (SGER) is a state-led project. In March 2025, the Government approved the development of the reserve, with Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) as its owner and operator. Oversight remains with the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE), and the regulatory structure remains overseen by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). 

The Government determined that a state-led solution is best to meet security of supply obligations without inadvertently increasing demand. A private commercial facility may not meet the public interest requirements set out in Action 17 of the Government’s Energy Security Package. The Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve (SGER) is non-commercial and will be owned and operated by GNI.   

The Government has determined that a state-led solution is the most appropriate way to meet Ireland’s energy security obligations without inadvertently increasing demand for fossil fuels. The Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve (SGER) is designed as a non-commercial, strategic backup, activated only in emergencies when gas pipeline supplies are disrupted. 

This approach aligns with the criteria set by Government to ensure that Ireland continues its transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy. A privately operated commercial facility could introduce market incentives that conflict with national climate goals, potentially prolonging reliance on gas and slowing the shift to renewables. 

Natural gas provides around 30% of Ireland’s primary energy needs and generates over 40% of our electricity. On days of peak demand, more than 80% of Ireland’s electricity generation can be supported by natural gas. While Ireland is transitioning to renewables, gas provides essential flexibility and reliability, particularly when wind or solar output is low. Its role is expected to become more intensive during peak demand, even as overall consumption declines. 

Ireland currently imports around 80% of its natural gas via two subsea interconnectors from Great Britain. The remaining supply (around 20%) comes from the Corrib gas field off the west coast of Ireland. However, production from Corrib is declining, and by the early 2030’s, Ireland is expected to be fully dependent on imports for its natural gas. 

In March 2025, the Government has approved the use of a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) as the optimal solution. An FSRU is a specialised ship that stores liquefied natural gas (LNG), converts it to gas on board, and sends it into the national gas network during a supply disruption. This is a proven, flexible technology used across Europe and globally. 

The Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) will be approximately 300 metres in length - comparable in size to the large tankers and cargo vessels commonly seen navigating the Shannon Estuary and Cork Harbour. To put that in perspective, it’s roughly three times the length of a standard football pitch. 

When fully loaded, the FSRU will typically hold up to 170,000 cubic meters of liquefied natural gas (LNG). That’s enough to supply gas to around 200,000 average households for six months. Alternatively, it could meet Ireland’s entire national gas demand during an average week. 

For the Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve (SGER), natural gas will be safely stored as Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) onboard a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU). LNG will be stored at cryogenic temperatures in specially designed insulated tanks onboard the FSRU, in line with strict international safety standards.

• FSRUs are a proven and safe technology, with approximately 50 vessels in operation globally as of 2025
• LNG has been safely transported by sea for over 60 years
• Ireland as a country maintains high standards for industrial and gas safety, independently regulated by the Health and Safety Authority and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities
• Gas Networks Ireland has an excellent safety record which benchmarks highly with European peers 
   

FSRUs are a proven and safe technology, with approximately 50 in operation globally as of 2025. They are  built and operated under strict international standards and safety regulations, including containment systems, pressure controls, and emergency shut-off mechanisms. LNG has been safely transported and stored worldwide for decades.  

The Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve (SGER) will be developed in line with Ireland’s safety and environmental laws and is being designed to minimise environmental impacts. There will be a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before any construction begins, and the facility must comply with all relevant planning, maritime, and environmental regulations.  

The Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve (SGER) will create hundreds of short and medium-term employment opportunities in construction, engineering, logistics and energy services. It will also indirectly support organisations locally and across the Irish supply chain. Given the scale of the project skills developed through the SGER will contribute to Ireland’s energy transition and infrastructure development workforce. 

The N-1 Infrastructure Standard is an EU legal requirement designed to ensure that a country can still meet its gas demand even if its single largest piece of gas infrastructure fails - especially during peak winter conditions. Think of it as a stress test for national energy resilience. 

In Ireland’s case, our largest gas pipeline is the 2nd Interconnector (IC2) with Great Britain. If this pipeline were to go offline, due to damage or technical failure, it could take up to six months to repair. Fixing subsea infrastructure is complex and slow (welding and repairing pipes at the bottom of the sea is no easy task). 

During that time, gas supplies to power stations would be restricted. Since gas is used to back up wind power, this means that during periods of low wind, Ireland would face rolling electricity blackouts across the country. Homes, hospitals, and businesses could all be affected. 

Currently, Ireland does not meet the N-1 standard. The Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve (SGER) is being developed to close this gap. It will provide a backup supply of gas during emergencies, helping Ireland meet the N-1 requirement and avoid widespread disruption to electricity. 

Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) has followed a careful site selection process to identify the best location for Ireland’s Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve (SGER). In simple terms, the site needed to be in a sheltered deep-water location, with good access to the national gas network.

Over recent months, GNI experts examined multiple possible locations around Ireland’s coastline. From these, three potential locations were identified, followed by detailed assessments in Cork Harbour and the Shannon Estuary.
 
Each site was evaluated against practical criteria such as the availability of suitable land, space for safe mooring of the Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU), distance from busy port traffic, access to utilities and services, local terrain and construction challenges, and proximity to the existing gas network.

The site that achieved the most favourable overall score was selected. This approach ensured a balanced, evidence-based decision that considered all relevant criteria, covering technical, environmental, financial, scheduling, and planning considerations. 

Following the announcement of the selected site for Ireland’s Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve (SGER), Gas Networks Ireland will begin a series of key project development activities. These steps are designed to ensure the project is delivered safely, efficiently, and in line with environmental and planning requirements.

Here’s what happens next: 

• Site Investigations. Detailed studies of the land and surrounding area to understand ground conditions and inform design.
• Marine Surveys. Offshore assessments to examine seabed conditions, water depth, and environmental factors relevant to the Floating Storage and Regassification Unit (FSRU) and jetty.
• Front-End Engineering Design (FEED). Early-stage design work to define the technical scope, layout, and operational requirements of the facility.
• Environmental Assessment. A comprehensive evaluation of potential environmental impacts, including biodiversity, water quality, and emissions.
• Planning Application. Preparation and submission of a formal application to the relevant planning authorities, supported by findings from the investigations and assessments.
• Planning and Consenting. Engagement with statutory bodies and the public to secure necessary consents and approvals.
• Final Business Case. Completion of a detailed cost-benefit analysis and funding plan to support final investment decisions.
• Detailed Design. Finalisation of engineering specifications and construction plans based on approved designs and feedback.
• Construction. Physical development of the SGER facility, including onshore and offshore infrastructure, subject to planning approval.
• Commissioning. Testing and verification of all systems and equipment to ensure the facility operates safely and as designed before entering service.
• Operations. Ongoing management of the SGER in standby mode, with the facility maintained in a state of readiness for activation during a national gas emergency.

Gas Networks Ireland will continue to engage with the local community throughout each phase, ensuring transparency and collaboration as the project progresses.