EirGrid’s projects key to State achieving renewable energy target

Significant milestones were reached in the past fortnight on two of EirGrid’s most important infrastructure projects. On Monday, it was announced that an underground cable route had been identified for the north Connacht 110kV project while the public consultation on possible underground routes for the Kildare-Meath grid upgrade commenced the previous week.

“Both projects are vitally important in terms of increasing the amount of renewable energy on Ireland’s power system,” says EirGrid chief infrastructure officer Michael Mahon. “As of 2020, 43 per cent of the electricity that we use in Ireland each year comes from renewable sources. The Government’s Climate Action Plan sets out the target to achieve 70 per cent of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030. These two projects represent important steps on the road to reaching that target.”

He explains that a large amount of renewable power is already produced in the north Connacht area and a lot more projects are planned and under construction in the region. “We simply don’t have the infrastructure to connect them and transport the power out of the area to where they are needed. The north Connacht project will help maximise the benefit of renewables to the region and the rest of the country.”

Upgrade

The Kildare-Meath grid upgrade will help to cater for increasing demand in the greater Dublin area and the east coast generally. The project involves a high-capacity connection between Dunstown substation near Two Mile House in Kildare and Woodland substation near Batterstown in Meath.

“This upgrade will help to more effectively transfer power to the east of the country and distribute it within the electricity network in Meath, Kildare and surrounding counties,” Mahon adds. “It will also help to facilitate the integration of renewable energy on the grid by strengthening the network and help meet the growing demand for electricity in the east.”

The project will also take advantage of the existing 400KVA lines constructed in the 1980s to connect Moneypoint with the eastern region.

The north Connacht project comprises a number of elements. These include a new 110kV underground electricity cable circuit from Moy substation in Ballina, Co Mayo, to Tonroe substation in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon, as well as upgrading and extension work to both substations. In addition, the existing 110kV overhead line between Tonroe and Flagford substations in Co Roscommon will be upgraded. It was decided early on that the best performing option would be an underground cable.

“Following extensive engagement with communities, local landowners, relevant agencies and the completion of further studies, we have confirmed the best performing route option for the north Connacht 110kV underground electricity cable,” says Mahon. “The underground cable circuit route runs from Moy substation in Ballina, Co Mayo, to Tonroe substation in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon. It is approximately 60km in length and bypasses major towns and villages such as Ballina, Foxford and Ballaghaderreen.”

A planning application will now be prepared for submission to An Bord Pleanála and it is anticipated that this will be submitted early in 2022.

Possible routes

EirGrid is now seeking feedback on four possible routes for the Kildare-Meath upgrade project following a decision earlier this year to underground the project. “We conducted an extensive public consultation on the project last year,” Mahon points out. “We wrote to 57,000 homes across the two counties seeking feedback on technical solutions for the project. We also conducted lengthy studies in order to identify the four route options.

All four routes travel along the public road network between the two substations, seeking to avoid motorways, town centres and industrial estates. The lengths of the different routes range from 47km to 51km.

“Most of the cable route in each option can be laid in the existing road network,” Mahon notes. “However, each option will require some of the route to be off-road. These off-road corridors range from 5km to 12km of the cable route. The 12-week consultation process commenced on August 31st and the public is invited to have their say on the preferred route option.”

An important feature of both projects has been the establishment of community forums by EirGrid. “These forums will play a key role,” Mahon explains. “Membership will comprise representatives of community organisations and other stakeholders, and they will act as consultative bodies throughout the development of the projects. They will also be responsible for the distribution of the community benefit funds which EirGrid has established for both areas.”