Criticisms levelled at EirGrid over Celtic Interconnector project

The route of the Celtic Interconnector project in East Cork has been called into question by Cork County councillors at a meeting recent, as Cllr Ann Marie Ahern called for “clarity, transparency and honesty from EirGrid”.

Currently, the route leads from the connection point in Knockraha eastwards via underground cable to Carrigtwohill, then north of Midleton town to Churchtown, and then eastwards to the coast to a point south of Youghal.

Cllr Ahern said that “at the outset” neither she nor the constituents she was representing were against the project; however, she brought up several critiques of EirGrid, namely the choice of their route, which is via a rural part of the countryside, and the alleged lack of communication with residents and local representatives.

“EirGrid have been continuously asked to explore the alternative routes of the N25 and parallel with the Midleton to Youghal Greenway instead of an off-road rural route at the Two Mile Inn in Midleton up to Knockraha. The rhetoric from EirGrid simply does not wash anymore,” Cllr Ahern stated.

Claiming that the cost of the project, were it to go along the N25, was €5 million, Cllr Ahern said that the off-route option was closer to €17 million, and could be even more. She was supported in some of her critiques by Cllrs Sheila O'Callaghan and Anthony Barry.

INFORMATION 'AT REGULAR INTERVALS'

In EirGrid’s documents to An Bord Pleanála, a number of technical reasons for not pursuing the option by the N25 were given, which largely hinged on the fact that the road is earmarked for an upgrade by 2050 and that if the interconnector went there it "will represent an additional significant constraint to planning and design for the N25 Carrigtwohill-Midleton Scheme”.

Cllr Ahern also questioned some of EirGrid’s “contradictory” logic to running the interconnector along the old railway line. In EirGrid’s documents to An Bord Pleanála, the reasons for not pursuing that option rested largely on the fact that Coras Iompair Eireann (CIE), could in theory choose to reopen the railway line at a future point. If it did, “the interconnector cables would have to be removed and relocated”, an unacceptable risk.

Cllr Ahern also claimed that the construction would be detrimental to nesting birds, to the ecosystem, and to farming, as well as the harmful impacts of the removal of hedgerows. To this, EirGrid say that an ecological consultant has been engaged to plan the replacement hedgerows to the standard committed to in the planning application.

Cllr Ahern also claimed that the underground line under the Owenacurra River will interfere with the salmon, “where they have only been recently reintroduced to the river after many years of interruption.” However, EirGrid say that the works will be sufficiently below the river "to not interact.”

In terms of communication, EirGrid claimed in a statement to

TheAvondhu that:

“The project team continue to provide information on the planned works along the proposed route at regular intervals, via multiple means, including a dedicated community liaison officer; establishment of a community forum made up of community representatives, businesses, and elected representatives, and regular updates to relevant stakeholders and councils.”

The company also says that newsletters will be issued as construction continues and there will be public information events held.