A group of west Cork landowners who got support from farmers in other parts of the country in their campaign against an overhead power line from a wind farm have confirmed that they have reached an agreement with the developer after he agreed to put the line underground. However the ESB has yet to confirm its approval.
Bantry Concerned Action Group had been in dispute with developer Ballybane Wind Farm Ltd for more than three years but a deal has been brokered by Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association president Malcom Thompson that appears to have resolved the matter.
Ballybane wind farm has agreed to fund the cost of putting the 38kv line underground for the entire 14km of the route, from the wind farm at Dromoureen to the ESB substation at Ballylickey on the other side of Bantry, according to Bantry action group chairman Joe Burke.
He said the agreement will see the power line being laid under roads for some of the distance and where it cannot be laid under roads, it will be laid underground on farmland belonging to 13 landowners, who will receive €20 per metre compensation.
"We are delighted that this matter has been amicably resolved. This sets a tremendous precedent for power lines in the area," said Mr Burke, whose group represents 26 landowners.
According to the group's spokesman, Quentin Gargan, the cost of putting the line underground is approximately €2 million and Ballybane wind farm has agreed to pay for this though it is the action group's contention it should be paid for by the ESB.
"When you do a cost/benefit analysis of putting cables underground, you will quickly see that the costs accrue to the developer, while the benefits accrue to the community at large. This is the crux of the matter."
Mr Gargan said the ESB will benefit from reduced maintenance costs, improved reliability of supply and reduced power losses along the line, while the community will also benefit from improved visual amenity and reduced health risks to residents.
"In the meantime, the costs accrue entirely to the developer who has no financial incentive to put the lines underground. While some wind farm developers have done this voluntarily, by and large this has only been under protest," he said.
However, an ESB spokesman said they were aware that Ballybane wind farm was in discussions with the action group and had made the developer aware that any arrangement would have be examined by the ESB.
"We haven't had any notification from the developer and all we know is what we've heard in the media. But any arrangement would have to be examined to see that it was technically feasible and came within the necessary safety parameters," the spokesman said. The company was legally required to deliver a safe cost-effective supply of power and the overline option fulfilled that requirement, so any deviation from that could not be paid for by the ESB.