THE REPUBLIC could soon have enough wind farms to meet almost all of current peak electricity demand on its system.

Currently, the wind farms operating in the State produce 807 mega watts (MW) of electricity, equivalent to two average-sized gas-fired power stations.

The State's Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) has approved wind farms with the capacity to generate a total of 1,750 MW, although not all of them are operating at this point.

It is working on a process that will facilitate another 3,000 MW. A spokesman confirmed yesterday that it will make a decision by the end of the summer.

Dermot Byrne, chief executive of Eirgrid, which operates the State's power distribution system, told an Oireachtas committee yesterday that the next round of CER approvals would bring potential capacity of the Republic's wind farms to 5,000 MW.

Peak demand in the Republic runs at more than 5,000 MW. Power plants driven by conventional fuels such as natural gas, oil and coal provide the bulk of the State's power. The ones now operating have a total capacity of 5,737 MW, with two plants that will generate another 400 MW in the planning process.

Wind farms produce electricity roughly one-third of the time.

Mr Byrne told the joint Oireachtas energy committee yesterday that once Eirgrid has built its proposed electricity interconnector between Ireland and Britain in 2012, it will be possible for wind farm operators to sell excess power to the British market.