Capacity of EirGrid line in Mayo needs to be upgraded to 400kV

THE proposed underground North Connacht 110kV line needs to be upgraded to a 400vK line, also running underground.

The call has come from Foxford-based Councillor Neil Cruise who brought a motion to petition the Minister for the Environment to instruct EirGrid to upgrade the project.

He explained how the 110kV line will just stabilise our requirements but it won't allow for renewable energy projects to connect to the grid.

Noting how technologies have moved on, he asked why not put in an adequate supply so that we can export energy and fortify what we have.

When looking at renewable projects, the biggest problem is access to the grid.

EirGrid, he commented, have a 'huge monopoly' on the grid and are restricting us in this area.

If we can't develop capacity to export back or strengthen the grid we were going to end up as a nature reserve, he predicted.

The 110kV line is 'just a sticking plaster'.

Cathaoirleach Councillor Seamus Weir said plans for an overhead line had been rejected, and the 110kV line then went underground.

Putting an increased capacity line underground, he didn't think was 'as simple as all that'.

He didn't reject what his colleague was saying but the horse has bolted.

Councillor John O'Hara said EirGrid will just go with what they have planning for, but this was something they need to look into down the road.

Councillor Cruise reiterated his point that they have to allow for expansion of the grid network as we are at ultimate capacity.