Published: Wednesday, 15th July, 2009 12:00pm

Pylon project to be lodged next month

by Michael Cryan

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EirGrid hopes to apply for planning permission to An Bord Pleanala for its proposed 400kV power line project (the north/south interconnector) by the end of August or early September. That"s according to David Martin from the company"s Public Relations department.

'An Bord Pleanala is the independent statutory body that would ultimately decide if the project could go forward,' he said.

The company expects objections to the planning application and there will be an 18 week process so Mr. Martin expects things to move early in the New Year. EirGrid is not ruling out a judicial review or an appeal through the courts that could eventually end up in the European court, added Mr. Martin.

'We have been working on this project for the past two years and we have established our preferred routes,' he told The Anglo-Celt during a visit to the county last week. The preferred route corridors strike the best balance between the often competing priorities of community concerns, environmental issues and the technical aspects of the projects, he said.

Continuing he said these projects were not going to happen in isolation and would be taken in conjunction with their next project, which was from Cork to Dublin. It was EirGrid"s job to generate electricity and this will be taken in account with renewable energy. 'There has been an increase in the demand for renewable energy and it is up to us to provide it,' he claimed.

'What EirGrid are proposing will allow more renewable energy (mostly wind generation) to be connected to the electricity network reducing our dependency on fossil fuels,' said Mr. Martin. He estimated that up to 40% renewable energy could be generated by wind in the future.

If EirGrid"s proposal receives the green light, Mr. Martin believes it would guarantee security of supply for future decades.

However, if nothing was done now, by 2012/13 there was likely to be insufficient network capacity to supply demand in the North East.

Mr. Martin knows that there is a long road ahead and the company is prepared for tough battle with the North East Pylon Pressure (NEPP) group but they were ready to face those challenges, he said.

Meanwhile, in a recent statement from NEPP it claimed that EirGrid"s latest document commenting on an international experts" recommendation in favour of putting new high voltage cables underground in the North East would merit no more than a "D" in Junior Cert Science.

'EirGrid have published yet another document that makes little contribution to a rational, scientific debate about the comparative merits of underground cables versus giant pylons and overhead high voltage wires,' commented the spokesman.

He went on to say that EirGrid is continuing its absolute blanket refusal to open their minds to undergrounding as a feasible and practicable alternative to pylons and overhead lines.

NEPP favours underground cables as the more affordable way to upgrade the national electricity grid without endangering human or animal health, damaging businesses and the environment or without any devaluation of people"s houses or farms.