Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

My colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Ryan, announced earlier today that he has appointed international consultants Ecofys to undertake the independent study on the comparative merits of overhead electricity transmission lines versus underground cables. The consultants were appointed following a tender process launched on 29 February on the Government's eTenders website. Ecofys, which is based in the Netherlands, with offices in 12 different countries worldwide, specialises in energy saving and renewable energy solutions.

Ecofys will also utilise the services of Golder Associates, a global group of consulting companies specialising in ground engineering and environmental services. Golder has provided environmental consultancy services for a range of electricity generation and transmission related projects in Ireland and the UK.

The planning, development and routing of transmission line infrastructure is a matter for EirGrid, which is a wholly State-owned company. EirGrid has responsibility for operating the electricity transmission system in Ireland, including the wholesale electricity trading system. It delivers connections, transmission and market services to generators, suppliers and customers, using the high voltage electricity system. It is also responsible for planning the construction of high voltage transmission lines.

In the course of EirGrid's pre-planning public consultations on proposed routes for the North-South and Meath-Cavan transmission lines, concerns were expressed locally about the impacts of overhead transmission lines. Noting that these concerns are likely to be common to all transmission line projects, and in order to provide clarity on issues in relation to overhead versus underground transmission lines, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, decided that the Department would commission an independent national study on this issue. In doing so, he was also taking account of the views of Deputies from all sides of the House.

The aim of the study is to provide further clarity and information on all of the issues in relation to underground cables and overhead lines. In so doing, we can help inform decisions on all current and future transmission line projects. As part of its ongoing transmission development plan, and in line with the Government's energy policy White Paper, EirGrid is currently planning the construction and reinforcement of a number of transmission lines.

The recently published all-island grid study also estimated the transmission infrastructure investments needed to accommodate increasing levels of renewable electricity and affirmed that up to 42% renewable energy is potentially feasible, requiring over 600 km of additional transmission lines. EirGrid is also finalising a long-term grid development strategy to 2025 which will set out plans for the next two decades.

The Ecofys study is to be conducted on a national basis. Its purpose is to provide the best available professional advice on the relative merits of constructing and operating overhead transmission lines compared to underground cables. It will have regard to technical characteristics, reliability, operation and maintenance factors, environmental impact, possible health issues and cost.

The consultants have been specifically asked to provide professional advice covering a review of electrical power transmission technologies currently in use for transmission of electricity of 110 kV and above. They will examine the factual position regarding current practice for constructing transmission lines worldwide, including circumstances in which lines are constructed as underground cables. They will also assess the relative technical performance of overhead lines and underground cables. Technical considerations include losses, reliability, quality, security of supply and electromagnetic field generation. The study will compare relative capital costs, total life cycle costs, annualised operation and maintenance costs, and impact on unit electricity prices of both options. It will also examine the construction times and consequential impacts on security of supply of both options.

The consultants will also assess in detail the comparative environmental impacts of both options. They will examine possible impacts on land use, geology and soils, and water resources. In addition, they will assess visual impact, effects on ecology and nature conservation and on air quality. They have also been asked to consider impacts on traffic, noise levels, tourism and communities.

In tandem with the tender process, the Department placed advertisements in nine national newspapers requesting submissions from the public on the issue. Over 500 submissions were received by the closing date of 7 March. The consultants have been furnished with these submissions and will consider points raised in their analysis of the merits or otherwise of underground and overground options. The consultants will also be available to meet with the Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, to discuss the details of the report, once published.

We expect that the report will be finalised by early June. The timeframe for completion is in line with the tender specification.

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