Covid delaying engagement on interconnector

Community and agriculture liaison officers attached to Eigrid will “continue to engage” with people and communities who have questions about the North South Interconnector project as soon as Covid restrictions are lifted.

“We have our office in Carrickmacross and will make that available once again once it becomes safe to do so,” a spokesperson for the semi-State utility operator told The Anglo-Celt this week.

Last month EirGrid welcomed planning approval for the project in Northern Ireland.

In a statement released yesterday (Tuesday), Eirgrid said that the project is a much-needed link between the electricity grids in Northern Ireland and Ireland and will remove costly blockages on the network.

The company says it will allow for the flow of 900 MW of renewable electricity across the border, in both directions, enough to power 600,000 homes on green energy.

Minister for Communications, Eamonn Ryan also welcomed the planning approval north of the border. Planning approval for the interconnector in the south was granted by An Bord Pleanála in December 2016.

The project comprises a 140km long, 400kV overhead line linking counties Meath and Tyrone through Cavan and Monaghan and, when completed, it will increase the efficiency of the all-island Single Electricity Market, reduce costs to electricity consumers and improve the security of power supply across the island of Ireland.

ESB Networks is scheduled to construct the project. The North East Pylon Pressure Committee (NEPPC), which claims to represent hundreds of landowners affected, say it will continue its fight to have the lines put under the ground.