Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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248. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the North-South 400kV interconnection development; his views on the final re-evaluation report published in April 2013 on the project; if he is opposed to placing this new grid project underground; his reason for this position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48092/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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In April 2013 EirGrid completed a comprehensive re-evaluation of the proposed North South 400 kV Interconnector. That re-evaluation found that there remains an urgent strategic need for the project and recommended that the new interconnector would take the form of a single circuit 400kV alternating current overhead line. The re-evaluation process had regard for the Government Policy Statement on the Strategic Importance of Transmission and Other Energy Infrastructure, published in July 2012. In July 2013 EirGrid published its Preferred Project Solution Report which documents EirGrid’s design process and identifies a preferred line route and the indicative location of the towers. An eight-week public consultation on the report was held from Tuesday, 16 July to Monday 9 September 2013. This was the final formal consultation period prior to the submission of an application for planning approval to An Bord Pleanála. The preferred project solution is a 400kV overhead power line. The report provides detailed information on the line route, including: maps; siting; construction of towers; and an outline of the environmental issues to be addressed in an Environmental Impact Statement.

The Government does not seek to direct EirGrid and ESB Networks or other energy infrastructure developers to particular sites or routes or technologies. These are matters for the developers and for the forward planning process through regional and local development plans and at project level through the development management process.