New legislation to allow EirGrid construction

The Minister for Communications and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan, has announced that he would soon be introducing new legislation to allow for EirGrid to construct the East/West Electricity Interconnector, which links Britain and Ireland and connects to the Irish grid at the Woodland substation in Drumree.

This 500 megawatt line, part of which will travel undersea, will feed the substation which is the starting point of the controversial power-line across Meath and Cavan to Northern Ireland.

The Department says the Bill is priority legislation for the Minister and will be placed before the Oireachtas early in the New Year. The legislation will also include proposals to allow EirGrid, as the independent transmission system operator, to significantly increase their statutory borrowing limit to fund the project.

Minister Ryan said that this legislation highlights Government commitment to the east/west interconnector project and will ensure its completion by 2012 at the latest.

"When complete, this interconnector will have a capacity of 500 megawatts - the equivalent of power to 350,000 homes," Mr Ryan says. "It will assist in our security of supply and provide greater competition in the Irish electricity market. It will integrate Ireland's electricity system into the wider European market and offer opportunities for export of wind-generated electricity."

The Woodland station in Drumree has been selected as the connection point for the interconnector on the Irish transmission system. In recent weeks, EirGrid obtained a formal connection offer from the UK National Grid located at Deeside in Wales and has commenced work on a marine survey to determine the most suitable route for the undersea cable.

EirGird plans to conclude the work late 2011 with 2012 targeted for completion of commissioning, testing and the start of commercial operations with electricity flowing across the Irish Sea.