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AN BORD PLEANÁLA has approved permission for 299 pylons to be built across Cavan, Meath and Monaghan.
The pylons will be built as part of Eirgrid’s North-South Interconnector project, which was given the green light by the planning authority today.
The huge infrastructure project, which will be 138 kilometres long, will link the electricity transmission networks of Ireland and Northern Ireland
In its decision, An Bord Pleanála said it had received around 900 submissions from individuals, community groups and elected representatives about the project. It had also considered a number of reports into the project before making a final decision.
The decision says that the development will enhance the security of electricity supply between Northern Ireland and the Republic, and will allow for the more efficient operation of a single electricity market on an all-island basis.
Of the 299 pylons, 165 will be in Meath and 134 will be in Cavan and Monaghan.
The approval has been criticised by some of the communities in the area who had objected to the project, particularly to having the power lines run overground rather than underground.
Sinn Féin MEP Matt Carthy said the project will have to be changed because of the concerns of people who live in the area.
“The truth is that the project that was granted permission today will not go ahead in its current form. Communities simply won’t allow it,” he said.
His concerns were echoed by the Irish Farmers’ Association which said that the decision broadly ignores the concerns and wishes of the people who live in the areas where the pylons will be constructed.
“From the beginning, EirGrid did not support the proposal to underground this project and it seems as if they have achieved their desired outcome today,” said Thomas Cooney of the IFA. “However, communities are now left in a position where by and large their concerns have been rejected by An Bord Pleanála.
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This planning process was a complete farce from the beginning. Eirgrid was allowed change their plans AFTER they were submitted to An Bord Pleanala when glaring errors were pointed out by local land owners.
That’s how planning works. You make an application, relevant bodies ask for confirmation or further information, theyau even advise a few changes that would make it acceptable to them. You make them, it is acceptable, you get permission. Simple enough concept. There are laws and regulations governing everything. It’s all pretty much there in black and white. There is no conspiracy. A lot of the law comes from Europe. Just because people are uneducated about it or don’t take the opportunity to educate themselves doesn’t mean there’s anything shady going on. The planning laws are actually reasonably straightforward and easy to follow. Been a few years since I was in contact with them but for anyone who wishes to be an active citizen and find out for themselves how the process works its relatively easy.
@bazhealy: The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe has ruled Ireland to be in breach of the Aarhus convention.
Article 3 of the SEA Directive was never complied with in implementing the National Renewable Energy Action of 2009. It was a public plan or programme brought in by a national authority and required full compliance with the Directive. So the overarching legel protection has been by passed by government. The Plan is cited in the application. See script in the box here. The Board don;t have a leg to stand on
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32001L0042
Trouble ahoy with that decision. With todays technology surely its more efficient to tunnel and trench high voltage cables underground to protect against storms and environmental impact
It’s down to cost unfortunately. Instead they should dig up the roads which are in a terrible state anyways, lay large pipes with the cables inside. Resurface the road properly afterwards. Two problems fixed in one go.
@Permo Dermo: Underground cables are significantly less efficient at energy transmission
What? I’ve never heard that before please explain how the same cable laying in the ducting system under ground instead of above ground can’t transport the same power?
The cable gets hotter as there isn’t free movement of air around it to cool it. As the temp rises the current carrying capacity of the cable drop’s so you need larger cables underground compared to overground. It is also more difficult and slower to locate faults and repair then, especially if located with along with other infrastructure like gas or even roads.
In addition to Jangles’ points, it needs thicker insulation to prevent leakage (normally air does that job in overground cables) – thus the high temperatures are a big issue.
I’m no expert but I think the conversion to HVDC for main lines like this results in a significant transmission loss
@B9xiRspG: Underground cables are very close together and very close to the earth, which means there is a huge amount of capacitance between the cables. This means that there is a large current constantly flowing between the cables, even if the other end of the cable isn’t connected to anything. In a 340 kV underground system, the limit of a single run of cable is about 26 miles before the current delivered to the end is essentially useless. Underground AC just doesn’t physically work for long distances.
@Shane Calnan:
Don’t be coming around here with facts, just say “I’m sticking it to the man”
Much more popular
@B9xiRspG: You need to understand the difference between direct current and alternating current. See my technical videos 1 a b and c.
This government loves trouble.
@@mdmak33: http://www.nepp.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/JCNRA-Meeting-210212.pdf
They create the trouble for themselves and therefore everyone then?
#@mdmak33, they are the ” Trouble” !
Eirgrid: a bunch of overpaid dinosaurs waiting for their pensions.
@David Murphey: And here is the dinosaurs in the Dail in 2008
http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/debateswebpack.nsf/takes/dail2008043000023
This is rural Ireland water meter. The pylon’s will not be going in with the consent of locals.
@mickmc… we fought against the water charges too!☺but yes… here comes another fight for the people…bring it on!!!
Who exactly is “we” and if you did you didn’t do a great job at getting rid of water charges in rural Ireland.
Rural Ireland for the most part have their own water Wells and septic tanks. So our fight is that we are paying for other people water that we can’t access….
Inter connectors allow for import and export of electricity so supply peaks can be lessened and we can make better use of excess generated for example at times of high wind here or abroad. More inter connectors mean more flexibility and guarantee of supply. Continued guaranteed supply is essential to maintain investment in Ireland. I defend the right to object but there has been no proven scientific evidence of negative impact from such pylons, yes I have looked into it. I don’t think critical infrastructure should be held up indefinitely without any verified reasoning. The fact is there is residential development throughout Ireland so grid development like this will always impact communities. More inter connectors are necessary.
@Jangles: Interconnectors work with undersea and underground cables as well, not just overhead pylons.
On some streets in Ireland you will see overhead electricity cables which look unsightly, some towns have removed them to the underground successfully and they look a lot better without the overhead clutter.
Of course that is only on a small scale, imagine the scenery and beautiful environment we could experience with the pylons removed and the cables routed underground.
You can not sell tourism and electricity pylons at the same time.
Not sure how the economics of energy trading will work post BREXIT though. I’m sure additional trade tariffs weren’t part of the business model when this was proposed.
@Jangles: They said thalidomide was a harmless drug.
@Jangles:@Jangles: This is essential for ISEM, transmission lines are the back bone of the infrastructure. All island supply is important for trading and linking renewable sources to the grid. People don’t really understand ISEM and how trading will be done, when they do they’ll understand why this is being done!
People don’t understand because there is little no information in the media about it.
As much as people might dislike Pylons, the electricity grid desperately needs an upgrade.
Upgrade absolutely, but underground.
@ML and Optimisation: But most of these pylons are being built to supply N. Ireland with electricity, aren’t they?
@LynchTrea: How many times do the engineers have to tell us that they can’t go underground before it sinks in?
@ML and Optimisation: https://www.esb.ie/our-businesses/electric-ireland
“Electric Ireland is the retail arm of ESB, supplying electricity, gas and energy services to the business and residential markets in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. “?
http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/health-news/war-pylons-high-voltage-lines-5414110
Alois, let’s assume you’re correct about being built to serve Northern Ireland (which isn’t BTW) then ROI benefits through greater export sales and ESB profits which is owned by the state.
@Mick Jenkins: Carbon footprint comes to mind but why can N. Ireland not build their own power stations is a question???
It’s typical Irish left wing mentality. Slate the government for not doing anything, and when they do anything protest against it. There is a definite strategy by PBP and AAA to try and create protest around anything in an effort to destabilise the government. I suspect they’ll attempt to use this issue for that purpose also.
There will be a spate of posts here about “elites”, “Denis O’Brien” and “Bilderberg”.
Wally/Billy/Benjy will fill half the comments section with rubbish about issuing post-it notes as currency, Littleone will be on with google links to health scare stories about radiation from power lines and to YouTube videos of dead cows.
I love this website
@Craba: Typical Journal reply to call any anti-FFFGLAB as ‘left wing’
@Craba: Typical Right wing mentality. Anyone who points out the destructive nature of capitalism and its effect on our environment or the the burgeoning inequalities between the upper and working class is a weed smoking hippy who wears tin foil hats.
So true Craba!!
@Craba:
Nice one
@Craba: @Alois Irlmaier. I think Littlone is here in disguise.
@eastsmer #IRExit: I cant understand why the left is always aligned with greenism. Those who claim to want a fair society also want to tax all of us and think wind energy works, why I don’t know, but some say it all about control
@Gavrilo Princip: @eastsmer #IRExit: I cant understand why the left is always aligned with greenism. Those who claim to want a fair society also want to tax all of us and think wind energy works, why I don’t know, but some say it all about control
Look at the solution, North Korea
Place pylons under ground. It is illegal to pace pylons above ground in the Netherlands
@Breas:
They’ll have to dig some very deep holes.
@Craba: The 3main parties are great at digging deep holes anyway? lol.
Underground power lines aren’t infallible either; damage from flooding, dig-in events, and other accidents can occasionally cause power outages. And when power outages do occur across underground systems, the damage is harder to locate and requires more time and money to repair. Heat from the underground cables can damage growth on the surface too. Plus, on average it costs four times the amount to repair, this in turn would get passed onto the end user and the same people would be complaining of rising energy costs! No matter what is done someone will always complain, same thing happens when wind turbines are being installed! Can’t keep them all happy.
Who needs reliable elecrtici
:-D
NIMBY
I’ve lived near pylons all my life. They are a non-issue
@Denito:
Do you mean you haven’t came out in green spots and grown a third arm yet!!!
Only a matter of time….
You sterilise much more land surface going underground than with pylons. The only other option would be to follow the cables within road networks but this would mean two agencies having to work together. So overground is the only solution. Over time these things disappear into the background anyway
I forsee mass protests on this one…
Surely there will be just as much radiation if these cables are underground as if they are overground
@Denito: No as the earth will shield most of it as will the oil used in the cables to cool them.
@Alois Irlmaier: Littleone. You look different. Did you do something to your hair?
@Alois Irlmaier: There is zero evidence to support the claim that Pylons cause cancer.
@Craba: Yes, I am combing my underarm hair now, thanks for noticing…
Why hasn’t every house got a small windmill and solar panels? or even a push for it.. the greater the need the cheaper it should get.. Why are the big off shore and land turbines NOT cladded with Solar Panels ,so when there’s no wind etc the solar kicks in..Please don’t tell me its the wrong type of power… Ahh yep tis the GREED factor AGAIN…
@Declan Mc Guirk: Putting up a wind farm is a massive investment, the cost to generate 1MW of power alone is not cheap and the return is 10 years +. I don’t think its greed that’s the root of the problem. People are only coming around to the idea of renewable sourced energy. It’ll take time, because like everything, theirs always a group who’ll appose and argue against what they don’t fully understand. Education is the key.
So this is the project that people fought against not so long ago?. the last two governments have absolutely no concept of democracy.
Blatant profiteering by the ESB.. Bury the damn cables… They’ll get the extra cost back eventually..
I have to say, I don’t get it. We’ve been using them all over the country since the start of electrification back in the 30s …. They’re already everywhere. I agree I wouldn’t want one right ” in my back yard”. But 100 Meters away would be fine by me. Just saying!
Someone getting a big back hander
Does Brexit have any affect on this decision ? I thought Ireland was going to be ruined with the onset of same ?
@Catherine Mc: The exchange rate will lol.
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