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FOR THE FIRST half of the year, pylons and Eirgrid dominated many of the headlines.
There was much debate whether they were needed, the health implications, the damage it might cause to the landscape and property prices.
Ministers flagged that underground cables would just be too expensive, and that over ground cables were the way to go. However, then an expert group was established to examine what would be the best option and that is where we stand right now.
Decisions, decisions
While the jury is out, campaigners are still holding public meetings to continue their momentum to prevent pylons coming to their area.
Speaking to Raymond Horkan from the Kilmovee and Ballaghadereen Against Pylons committees, he said nothing has been agreed, but believes that considering the underground cables is just “box-ticking” for the Government and Eirgrid.
“Underground cables are a viable option. It has been done before with the East-West Interconnector which connects the Irish power system to the electricity grid in Britain through undersea and underground cables.
“By simply replicating this project for the Grid West project, Eirgrid could save themselves a lot of hassle, but our group doesn’t feel that the use of underground cables is going to happen and we are here to oppose that,” said Horkan.
He said they welcomed that an independent expert group are looking at the issue, adding that the decision has been taken out of their hands, in some respects, but said that they hope that any positive recommendations that come out of their report are listened to.
Keeping up the pressure
Horkan added:
We are keeping the pressure on that overground cables and pylons will be a blight on the landscape. We don’t have huge industry up here, but the one thing we do have in Mayo is fantastic scents, environmental cleanliness and beautiful vistas.With Ireland marketing itself on our scenery, like that with the Wild Atlantic Way, it would be madness to ignore the long-term impact this will have, because once they are up, they’re up, and by then it will be too late.
Eirgrid told TheJournal.ie that the independent panel of experts, chaired by former Supreme Court Justice Catherine McGuinness, are currently reviewing the underground options for the Grid West and the Grid Link projects. This is in response to feedback from public consultations last year that people wanted to see more details on under grounding, said Eirgrid.
The Grid West Project published an underground route in June and this was followed by a public consultation which recently concluded. All feedback from the public will be considered as part of their report to the expert panel.
They said the group are expected to submit their report on the project later this year.
However, both Grid West and the Grid Link projects are currently at different stages of development.
Grid Link
With Grid Link, Eirgrid are working to identify both underground and overhead routes for the project before they said they can proceed to the next stages of project development, which will include a public consultation on both routes. Once this is completed, they will submit a report on the Grid Link Project to the expert group.
Until the expert group has had the opportunity to examine those reports and been able to provide an opinion to Government no decision will be made on how either project will proceed, said Eirgrid.
The expert group said that the process is now under way and will be in a position to provide an opinion to Government on the Grid West Project in January 2015. An opinion on the Grid Link Project is not expected to be provided until around the end-July 2015.
There should be no reason in this day and age for overhead wires and cables in towns and villages criss crossing streets. It is time to get them all put underground.
How big would our bills ne to get the entire network in towns under ground…
That would be called magic.
Frequency control is more difficult to manage with underground cables. So Is almost everything.
Agree Chris, the really blight the appearance of our otherwise attractive small towns and villages.
Ask a stupid question John and you will get a stupid answer. Like putting street cables underground will improve the appearance of our towns and villages.
There are also pylons on our cities believe it or not.
Chris – you answered a different question – albeit stupidly
Why don’t we just cut them off from the national grid, we’ll see how quickly they change their tune about pylons then.
It was possible to underground the line through Sandymount. Really they ought to dig this up and put it on pylons, in solidarity with the non-Dublin 4 parts of the country.
There is a difference between Urban & rural John.
not really Tony
The cost of putting the cables underground is prohibitive for almost every reason.
Look at it follows:
Cost of installation: underground significantly cheaper by multiples.
Cost and ease of repair: underground significantly cheaper by multiples.
Health benefits of underground: negligible. Route cables away from homes, buy homes too close.
Scenic considerations: overground ugly but route through areas of least effect, use well designed and good looking pylons. The huge number of pylons and poles for electricity and telephones in country areas to one off houses do significant more damage to the scenic beauty of the landscape that a few big pylons.
Are you saying its cheaper to install and repair cables underground?
Sorry overground significantly cheaper, DOH!
Scenic considerations – areas of least effect? Lol.
Good looking pylons? – seriously?
Paul no one pays attention to pylons really.i know when I was a kid I was fascinated by them like most other kids.now I wouldn’t even see them while driving.
Google “designer pylons” look at the images or follow the link below to see what I’m talking about! They don’t have to be ugly.
https://www.google.ie/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=980&bih=674&q=designer+pylons&oq=designer+pylons&gs_l=img.3…7511.13724.0.14551.15.13.0.2.2.0.169.1318.8j5.13.0….0…1c.1.54.img..4.11.1022.4KLP7dhtk2o
Where are you getting your costs?
I presume it would be Eirgrid propaganda!
No Pylons, I would suggest the pricing is fairly accurate… It is more expensive to put them under ground.
Just like always scaremongering trumps science .
Most proposed new power lines are required to carry power from subsidised wind farms in the west to consumers in the east of the country. No expensive wind, no need for most new pylons. And less expensive electricity also because for every Euro wind saves on the fuel bill, approximately three Euros are spent on paying for new power lines, constraints, capacity payments and system services. Wake up Irish consumers, you are being conned by the green Mafia.
Ireland already has the 4th most expensive electricity in the EU, not including the PSO levy (which incidentally went up this week by over 50%).
The costs of UG vs OG are evident on the Eirgrid website for all to see, East West connector cost €2.2 Million per Kilometre (and came in at €30M under budget and has won engineering awards) Gridwest is estimated at a cost of €2.4 Million per Kilometre (this is not including landowner compensation or the community gain funds which as Minister Rabbitte explained “will be paid for by an increase of end user bills”) So for a very simple example 1000 affected landowners receive the minimum of €2k that is an extra €2M on the cost that will have to be paid for by us… but of course some land owners will receive up to €30k.
Ireland sells itself on beauty and green fields not the pylons, Ireland sells itself as tech leaders lets set the example for Europe and the world and put cables underground if they’re needed at all!
@No pylons, this country is not blighted by pylons however it is blighted by the huge number of smaller poles that supply electricity and telephone connections to all the one off houses all over the country. If you are in the country just look outside your front door at the ugly sights of all these poles.
Ah but daddy gave me a free site!
The vast majority of the PSO is the cost of electricity distribution to rural areas. The rural rate doesn’t come close to the extra cost of supplying it in rural areas. Transmission costs are low in comparison.
So for rural groups to complain is hypocritical.
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