Pylon on the pressure

Cavan County Council is coming under pressure to release “critical compliance documents” including access routes for the development of the controversial North South Interconnector project.

The North East Pylon Pressure Campaign (NEPPC) is calling on the local authority to follow their counterparts in County Monaghan in publishing the access routes, despite a decision by Meath County Council to refuse a freedom of information request for the material.

Cavan County Council has yet to decide on the FOI, which was submitted by NEPPC to all three local authorities within the catchment area of the route for the powerlines south of the border.

The group is seeking information on “significant submissions” made by ESB related to the electricity transmission project.

Monaghan County Council has granted the request and released information including the access route maps for 109 towers planned across the Farney county.

However, Meath County Council has refused to provide the information in advance of a decision being made on Eirgrid/ESB’s compliance with planning permission.

NEPPC spokesperson Padraig O’Reilly said the submission to Cavan County Council includes “finalised access routes” for 28 pylons, which he says the “ESB are endeavouring to foist on local landowners and communities”.

Landowners and locals, he said, “have campaigned for years for the project to be undergrounded”.

Mr O’Reilly says that some of the ‘indicative routes’ “go past the front door of some farmers’ homes”.

The group said they feel they are left with little choice but to go the FOI route to “ascertain” the latest activities related to the project.

NEPPC say they are entitled to “key documentation” they feel is of “extremely high relevance to all affected landowners and their neighbouring farmers”, including planned access routes “onto each landowner’s private property”.

The lobby group says “none” of the information is available on the local authorities’ websites or has been sent to the landowners.

Monaghan County Council has sent the information as a result of the FOI request.

“Cavan County Council has responded in the last few days stating that they are looking into the submitted material and will give us an update in due course. We await a response on this matter,” Mr O’Reilly stated.

A spokesperson for Cavan County Council said “updated documents” were submitted to them in June, and added: “To date, Cavan County Council has not provided a formal response to the compliance documents submitted by ESB.”

“The FOI request is currently under consideration. Should a decision be made to release the documents, they will be made available via a link on the Cavan County Council website. At present, the Council has no further update to provide regarding the status of the project.”

Project update

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Eirgrid said the installation of 407 overground pylons across Cavan, Monaghan, Meath, Armagh, and Tyrone, is estimated for completion in October 2031.

The spokesperson said construction “will begin following the discharge of planning conditions, which is currently underway”.

Last month, the Government designated the North South Interconnector as a critical infrastructure project under the Critical Infrastructure Act 2026.

Meanwhile, EirGrid said they are “continuing” engagement with landowners on the project.

In March 2026, EirGrid wrote to landowners along the route of the North South Interconnector project in respect of the placing of infrastructure on or across their lands.

This follows notification to EirGrid by ESB of its decision to progress the North South Interconnector using Section 53 of the Electricity (Supply) Act 1927 (wayleave notices).

Eirgrid has said the North South Interconnector will “improve” the security of electricity supply, provide savings for consumers, and allow for more renewables to be integrated on the grid and transported across the island.

Meanwhile, in their refusal letter, Meath County Council stated: ‘We have received a submission for compliance yet to be agreed by a planner, relating to condition 3, construction and environmental management plan, a traffic management plan and a waste management plan. If this is approved on or before the 20th of August 2026, this documentation will be made publicly available.’

A spokesperson for Meath County Council said it processes all Freedom of Information requests in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. An appeal process is in place.

The project has cleared all planning hurdles north and south of the border since it was first mooted in October 2002.

The issue has come up at numerous council meetings where elected members have warned of “a lot of anger building up” among affected landowners some of whom insist they will block the project unless the line is undergrounded.