The State’s electricity transmission grid operator EirGrid has opened a two-month consultation on proposed south coast landfall and converter station locations for its electricity link between France and Ireland writes Lorna Siggins.
The Celtic Interconnector will be the first direct energy link between Ireland and France, running some 500 km under the sea from east Cork to the French north-west coast. A further 40 km of underground cable will be laid on land.
The project is being jointly developed by EirGrid and Réseau de Transport d'Électricité, the French electricity transmission system operator, with a target completion date of 2026.
Eirgrid is seeking the public’s reaction to a shortlist of three proposed landfall locations, and a shortlist of six proposed location zones for a converter station in east Cork.
The convertor station converts direct current electricity to alternating current and vice versa.
It has scheduled a series of public information days in east Cork between April 23rd and May 3rd (see list below).
The state-owned company says that the link will “put downward pressure” on the cost of electricity, while improving security of supply, providing a direct fibre optic telecommunications link, and facilitating further development of renewable sources.
A previous consultation round had confirmed east Cork as the most suitable location in Ireland for the project, which will have a capacity of 700 megawatts (MW).
Eirgrid says this capacity is enough to power 450,000 households, and the cable will allow both the import and export of electricity.
Eirgrid says that the proposed shortlisted landfall locations - Ballinwilling strand, Redbarn beach, and Claycastle beach – between Ballycotton and Youghal in east Cork were selected from a list of five.
The proposed shortlisted sites for the converter station are in Ballyadam, Leamlara, Knockraha, Pigeon Hill, Kilquane and Ballyvatta - all inland and north of Cobh - and these locations were selected from a list of 14 options, it says.
Eirgrid says that each location was assessed against five criteria; economic, technical, environmental, socioeconomic and deliverability.
EirGrid is encouraging communities and stakeholders to “share their feedback” on the proposed shortlists.
“The shortlists are provisional. Feedback from communities, local representatives, and other stakeholders will be critical to ensuring that we can assess each option fully and make informed decisions when confirming the shortlists,” Eirgrid spokeswoman Louise Glennon states.
Stakeholders, communities and members of the public are invited to respond by Monday, June 10th, by online, by email, by phone, in writing or by attending one of a number of information days in east Cork, as below:
Lisgoold Community Centre - Tuesday 23 April - 2pm – 8pm
Knockraha Community Centre - Wednesday 24 April - 2pm – 8 pm
Carrigtwohill Community Centre - Tuesday 30 April - 6pm – 9pm
Midleton Park Hotel - Wednesday 1 May - 2pm – 8pm
Cloyne Parochial Hall - Thursday 2 May - 6pm – 9pm
Walter Raleigh Hotel, Youghal - Friday 3 May - 2pm – 8pm