Interconnector legal challenge should halt all Eirgrid activity - NEPPC

The North East Pylon Pressure Campaign has demanded an immediate halt to all Eirgrid activities on the North South Interconnector, in the wake of a legal challenge to the project underway in Northern Ireland.

The campaign has also called on the newly elected deputies in the North East to ensure Eirgrid halt all activities immediately, subject to the outcome of these High Court proceedings.

“It is the one and same interconnector, irrespective of whether North or South of the border, so it is incumbent on Eirgrid to respect due process and publicly announce a cessation of all activities including those related to landowner access, planning condition compliance and meetings with local authorities,” said spokesperson, Padraig O'Reilly.

The Northern Ireland campaign group, Safe Electricity Armagh Tyrone (SEAT), who NEPPC has worked closely with over the last 17 year has launched a legal challenge against the NI Government’s handling of the controversial application.

The proposed interconnector, which has passed all planning hurdles North and South of the Border, involves a 138 kilometre 400KV line running overhead on 400 pylons and power lines through Meath, Cavan, Armagh and Tyrone.

SEAT issued Judicial Review proceedings against the North-South Interconnector before the High Court in Belfast on Monday, 9th December.

The proceedings will challenge a number of decisions of the NI Department for Infrastructure relating to the planning process and the discharge of pre-commencement conditions within that process.

SEAT says it came together to vent the concerns of some 6,500 local residents in close proximity to the route of the proposed overhead power lines.

Since this interconnector was first proposed, the group has questioned the need and value of this infrastructure, and the methods in which SONI (the Northern Ireland electricity board has engaged with residents in the area.

The spokesperson also cited health fears if the project proceeds as planned.

“Our concerns as residents in proximity to the proposed route remain as grave as they were when our campaign began.

“Health risks from being in close proximity to infrastructure such as this proposed interconnector include a twofold increase in risk of childhood leukaemia among children with exposures of 0.4 microteslas or higher, as reported by the National Cancer Institute. Our concerns regarding health have never been satisfactorily addressed and they remain a significant worry” they said.

Meanwhile, Mr O'Reilly said ensuring Eirgrid halts all activities was the least the newly elected TDs can do to represent their constituents.

“In 2017, Fianna Fáil in opposition called for a halt to all activities pending a technical report being done.

“Now when they are leading the government they have no excuse not to direct Eirgrid to respect the ongoing judicial process, which calls into question the validity of the project.”

“NEPPC wants to thank SEAT for their tremendous efforts in representing farmers’ basic rights and ensuring that the project meets all the necessary stringent requirements related to strategic infrastructure,” Mr O'Reilly concluded.