An Ulster Unionist MP has highlighted NI's "almost redundant" fossil fuel power stations following the start of an Affairs Committee inquiry into the electricity supply throughout the province.

South Antrim Ulster Unionist MP Danny Kinahan drew special attention to a faulty Moyle Interconnector, failure to develop a North/South Interconnector, and lack of policy at Stormont on hydro, solar, wind and other alternative energies.

Mr Kinahan called for a long term plan to be established that includes Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the Irish Republic all working together.

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He said: "The committee welcomed Dr Patrick Keatley and Professor Neil Hewitt from the Centre of Sustainable Technologies, Ulster University and heard about the difficulties still inherent in the supply of electricity in Northern Ireland. They warned of a continuing slide towards major supply difficulties early in the next decade if we do not tackle the underlying problems of finding our own suitable indigenous energy supplies, establishing the North/South Interconnector and improving the ability of the grid to handle various supply streams. The representatives also made it clear that the Northern Ireland Executive must decide what it is doing with the Contract for Difference (CfD) system, the new UK-wide strategy for alternative energy which will decide how we manage our own indigenous supplies."

(CD/MH)