ELECTRICITY generated by wind hit a record high in Northern Ireland and the Republic on Wednesday, with 60 per cent harnessed by the gusty weather.
General manager at SONI (System Operator for Northern Ireland) Robin McCormick said "record levels" of wind generation had provided electricity across the island.
"Last night and into this morning we saw record levels of wind generation providing electricity across the island, which is good news for consumers," he said.
"Managing this level of wind energy on the system presented significant technical challenges for SONI and our colleagues at EirGrid, who run the electricity grid in the Republic.
"Dealing with wind generation of this scale on a small, island electricity grid, hasn't been done anywhere else in the world and so this is a huge achievement."
Mr McCormick said the operator had been working hard utilising such conditions and analysing data to harness "ever increasing amounts of wind".
"We will continue to optimise the electricity system in the hope that we can continue this trend, which is ultimately about reducing the cost of electricity for the consumer," he added.
Wind-generated electricity accounted for 60 per cent of electricity usage on Tuesday evening and into early Wednesday across the all-island system, with wind producing 47 per cent of all electricity used in Northern Ireland during the same period.
