Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Celtic interconnector is a €1 billion electricity interconnector jointly proposed by EirGrid and the French transmission system operator, RTÉ, Réseau de Transport d’Électricité. It is proposed to be a 575 km long 700 MW cable from the north-west coast of France to the south coast of Ireland, with 500 km of this being subsea. At this scale, it would be able to provide electricity for some 450,000 homes. The Celtic interconnector will provide a reliable high-capacity electricity link between Ireland and France that will have significant benefits for electricity consumers in Ireland. The project will provide access to the European internal energy market, leading to expected increased competition and lower prices in Ireland. It will also enhance security of electricity supply and facilitate increased capacity for renewable energy here via export access to the mainland European markets.

In late 2019, the European Commission announced a grant of €530 million towards the construction of the interconnector under the Connecting Europe Facility fund. This grant was made possible by significant support for the project from the Irish Government that resulted in its designation as an EU project of common interest.

Following extensive planning and multiple periods of public consultation over recent years, EirGrid decided earlier this year on the interconnector’s route in east Cork.  EirGrid has further decided to establish an enhanced community benefit scheme for neighbouring communities. EirGrid will continue to engage with the public on this project in the coming months and years. While I have no function in the area of consenting for the interconnector, I understand from EirGrid that applications to the relevant consenting authorities were submitted in July of this year.

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