Queries raised over energy ‘gold rush’ and bringing offshore power inland

The wind farm proposals were given a broad welcome during a debate by councillors with Fine Gael Cllr Eugene Cassidy leading off by saying that it was something people had been looking forward to for years – the placement of wind farm at sea rather than on land.

The turbines would have less of a visual impact as opposed to the former proposal to place 30 or 40 turbines in the North Meath countryside some years ago. That proposal had been refused.

He had questions about the 220kv towers that would be needed to bring cables to connect to the grid and the impact they would have on the countryside.

Independent Cllr Alan Lawes asked if there had been any survey done on the effects of the proposals on the sea and bird wildlife. He also wondered what contribution the proposals would make towards the effects of climate change while Independent Cllr Joe Bonner asked what impact there would be on inland fisheries.

Ms O’Reilly told councillors that the sea turbines would not work without a grid connection. The offshore cable would have to come in to land and have access to sub-stations of some sort. The North South Interconnector was something An Bord Pleanála would be considering in the light of the Nisa and Oriel proposals. The Oriel project would have one sub-station while Nisa would have two substations.

Environmental impact statements would be needed to assess the impacts on wildlife, she said. In terms of contributions to climate change she said there would be 700mw from the Nisa application and 375mw from Oriel.

Independent Cllr Brian Fitzgerald wondered whether the possibility of the building of a new port at Bremore would be affected by the construction of the turbines at sea. “I’m very much in favour of what you are trying to do and what the companies are trying to do but we are supposed to have a new port at Bremore over the coming years. It would be very important to make sure that nothing happens to affect the line coming into that port”. It would be very important for the North East that cruise ships would have access there.

Social Democrat Cllr Ronan Moore said he was very much in favour of the proposals. He said he hoped the communities in the three counties affected by the proposals would benefit. This was particularly the case in relation to coastal communities.

Fine Gael Cllr Alan Tobin said he understood that most of the onshore cabling would be going underground and that the existing line overground would be upgraded. The amount of CO2 that would be saved is huge and for a country that wants to welcome in data centres and other industries, these developments would be welcome and would have a beneficial effect on the country’s economy. These wind farms on our coast could be regarded as the country’s “gold rush”, he said and that they “presented a huge opportunity.”

There was a great opportunity to have renewables close to market, said Ms O’Reilly adding that the community benefit assessed in Meath would come to €80m over 20 years and there would be benefit to renewable energy projects.