Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

On 27 March EirGrid published, for public comment, a discussion paper on Ireland's grid development strategy, entitled "Your Grid, Your Views, Your Tomorrow". The paper, which reviews, inter alia, the grid link, Grid West, and North-South transmission line projects, confirms that Ireland’s energy transmission needs may be met with reduced new infrastructure build because of new technological developments and updated projections of future electricity demand.

The discussion paper, which was subject to an independent peer review, confirms the need to reinforce the transmission system in the south east. It suggests an additional option to the original grid link options. The original options would require either the construction of significant amounts of new overhead lines or the laying of significant amounts of underground cable. The additional option contained in the recently published discussion document would involve an underwater cable in the Shannon Estuary and upgrading existing transmission lines rather than building new lines.

The discussion paper also puts forward options for Grid West. The options include underground cabling, a 400 kV overhead line option and a 220 kV overhead line with some of the line placed underground. The discussion paper reaffirms the need for the North South transmission line project and that the existing proposal for a 400 kV overhead line remains the most appropriate solution for the project. In setting out its revised approach, EirGrid has confirmed that every project is different, so that an option that may be technically feasible for one project may not work for another.

The Deputy will be aware of the independent expert panel that is overseeing the integrity of the process being undertaken by EirGrid to report on the Grid West and grid link projects. The EirGrid reports are required to be comprehensive, route-specific studies of overhead and underground options for the projects. The panel has directed that the reports must be complete, comparable - with overhead line comparable with underground cable - and objective, and must include assessments of potential environmental impacts, technical efficacy and cost factors.

The panel will, in due course, consider the reports and then provide an opinion to me on the reports in respect of each project. Thereafter, a further round of public consultation will be undertaken by EirGrid for each of the projects. I expect to receive the panel's opinion on the Grid West project over the coming days. The opinion on the grid link project is expected during quarter three of this year.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

Once these steps have been completed, it will then be a matter for EirGrid, in consultation with the Commission for Energy Regulation, to make a decision on which option to pursue on each of the grid link and Grid West projects.

Each of these three major projects will be the subject of a planning application to An Bord Pleanála in due course.

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