Following on from the Public Information Days held in early June, EirGrid are launching a public consultation for East Meath-North Dublin Electricity Grid Upgrade. As part of this, EirGrid will consult with the public over the next 12 weeks to identify where the grid project should be built.

The consultation will include information days, open days and webinars, where the EirGrid project team will provide information about four proposed route options.

Below is the press statement that is issuing to local media on Wednesday September 7^th.

More information is available at What’s Happening Now? (eirgridgroup.com) and update information (brochure, mapping etc.) will appear in the related document section of our webpage at Related Documents (eirgridgroup.com)

Press Release 7th September 2022:

EirGrid, the operator and developer of the national electricity grid, is seeking the public’s input in identifying a route for the East Meath-North Dublin Grid Upgrade.

The 400kV underground cable circuit from Woodland substation, near Batterstown in County Meath, to Belcamp substation, near Clonshaugh in north Dublin, was identified earlier this year as the best-performing technical option.

The project is needed to address the increased electricity demand in east Meath and north Dublin, due to economic activity and population growth, while also reducing the use of fossil fuels for electricity generation.

When developed, the upgrade will improve electricity supply in the region.

EirGrid will consult with the public over the next 12 weeks to identify where the circuit should be built. The consultation will include information days, open days and webinars, where the EirGrid project team will provide information about four proposed route options.

EirGrid’s Chief Infrastructure Officer, Michael Mahon said: “This upgrade is essential to strengthen the grid as our society and economy grows, and as the electrification of heat and transport increases. This upgrade will also help to achieve our renewable ambition as we prepare the grid for the future development of renewable energy.”

“This 12-week consultation will give communities and stakeholders across the proposed study area the opportunity to ask questions about the routes and share their views on a preferred option. We look forward to consulting with communities and stakeholders in east Meath and north Dublin over the coming weeks,” added Mahon.

A community forum has been established to ensure that stakeholder and community views are understood and properly considered. The forum will act as a consultative body providing feedback at key stages in the delivery of the project.

To find out more about the four proposed routes, visit https://www.eirgridgroup.com/the-grid/projects/cp1021/the-project/.

Notes to editor

• The project is essential to enable further development of renewable energy generation, onshore and offshore, in line with Government policy of having 80% of electricity coming from renewable sources by 2030.

• Last year, feasibility studies were carried out on four best-performing technical options and were finalised in March this year.

• This project was identified as one of the candidate solutions in the Shaping Our Electricity Future Roadmap which was published in November 2021.