EirGrid has backtracked on its initial plans for upgrading the electricity supply network across the country. The body responsible for managing the electricity network published a revised consultation plan for its Grid25 project, which sets out how the country’s electricity supply network needs to be upgraded.

Grid25 is subdivided into three projects

Grid Link looks at upgrading the network between Cork, through the southeast and up to the east; Grid West is for the west of the country; and the North-South project is upgrading the supply between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

With regard to the 130km Grid West project between Mayo and Roscommon, one option from the EirGrid report states that as much as 30km of cables could be placed underground as well as having new pylons.

The report outlines that the Grid Link project, which runs from Cork to Kildare, could use existing pylons as part of the upgrade. This would negate the need for building new pylons in the area. However, concerns have been raised that should EirGrid press ahead with this option, it could have an impact on attracting new businesses as the network would not be upgraded sufficiently.

The North-South route has garnered most controversy. EirGrid announced that plans are so far developed that it cannot reconsider the current project. This decision has been met with anger from residents in the area who had been campaigning for EirGrid to look at putting cables underground.

Response

IFA environment chair Harold Kingston has described EirGrid’s announcement to work on existing infrastructure, rather than develop new electricity projects in the southeast (Grid Link), and to explore under-grounding on Grid West, as a “significant response to genuine concerns raised by farmers and local communities regarding the need and scale of the projects proposed”.

Kingston has also called on EirGrid to ensure all options are presented to An Bord Pleanala at the forthcoming oral hearing for the North- South inter-connector project as real concerns remain.

Any member of the public can provide a submission to the latest EirGrid plan by logging on to www.eirgrid projects.com and following the links from there.