Blow for campaigners as Cabinet report favours overhead option for Interconnector

A report presented to Cabinet today has concluded that undergrounding of the 140km 400KV North South Interconnector is not a viable option. Another report also suggested when it came to compensating land and homeowners living in the shadow of the Interconnector it said "Ireland has a comparatively generous compensation regime in place."

At its meeting today (October 2nd) the Government considered two independent reports that the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Denis Naughten TD had commissioned on the North-South Interconnector (NSIC).

The reports findings will heap pressure on Meath's three FG Government ministers who will now feel the wrath of constituents in Meath East and West. The proposed construction of 400 towers to run between Meath and Tyrone has resulted in a decade long battle between campaigners and EirGrid.

The first Report addressed the technical feasibility and cost of undergrounding the link while the second Report considered comparative international practice and approaches to compensation of property owners in proximity to high-voltage lines.

The first Report has concluded that from a techno-economic point of view, an Alternating Current Overhead Line is the most beneficial way of meeting the need for enhanced power transfer capability between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

In terms of comparative international practice to compensation, the second Report indicates that Ireland has a comparatively generous compensation regime in place.

Minister Naughten will forward copies of the two Reports to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment and both reports are available on the Department's website link here.

​​​​Motions were passed in Dáil and Seanad Éireann on 16 February 2017 and 1 March 2017 respectively calling for an updated independent study into the north-south interconnector. Two independent studies were subsequently commissioned to address the main points of the motions as well as key concerns expressed by parties opposed to the development.

The first is a study to investigate the cost and technical feasi​bility of undergrounding the North South interconnector. The report was conducted by an International Expert Commission made up of Bo Normark, Ronnie Belmans and Keith Bell.

The second study examines the levels of compensation provided to land and property owners in proximity to high-voltage transmission lines in a European context. This study was conducted by KHSK Economic Consultants.

Reaction to today's developments are awaited from the North East Pylon Pressure group but in an open letter to Minister Naughten in August, Aimee Treacy of NEPPC wrote: 

"One of the most alarming observations of the total correspondence is that there is not a single line reflecting the reality on the ground in terms of the depth of opposition to the project and the need for an alternative solution. None of landowner statements made to Eigrid personnel at mobile units or elsewhere are being communicated upwards. The correspondence shows that you are all living in a cocoon, convincing each other that progress is being made, all at the taxpayers’ expense for the last 10 years.

SONI (System Operator for Northern Ireland), welcomed the findings of independent studies into the North South Interconnector commissioned by the Minister.