EirGrid to host Cork consultations on offshore grid infrastructure
Cillian Ferry
The future of Ireland’s offshore electricity grid is to be debated at a series of public information nights across Cork as part of the latest phase of consultation for the Powering Up Offshore, South Coast programme.
EirGrid’s 12-week consultation, running until 8 December, is seeking feedback on emerging best performing options for the new electricity infrastructure required to connect future offshore wind generation from Ireland’s south coast to the national grid.
The consultation focuses on potential landfall zones, offshore transmission cable corridors, offshore substation zones, grid connection subzones and onshore transmission cable route corridors being considered.
Powering Up Offshore - South Coast is EirGrid's programme to build the transmission grid infrastructure needed to bring electricity generated by offshore wind farms into Ireland's national grid. The consultation focuses on the infrastructure required to connect Tonn Nua, the first maritime area identified within the Government's South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan for Offshore Renewable Energy.
Once delivered, the infrastructure for Tonn Nua will support the connection of approximately 900 megawatts of offshore renewable energy, enough to power almost one million homes and support Ireland's longer-term climate and renewable energy ambitions.
Communities and stakeholders across Cork are now being invited to share their views on the emerging options being presented. Feedback received through this consultation, alongside ongoing technical and environmental assessments, will help shape the next stage of project development.
Sinéad Dooley, Head of Public Engagement at EirGrid, said: “We are encouraging people to attend our consultation events in Cork, where they can meet the project team, learn more about the proposals and have their say. Local knowledge and stakeholder feedback are critical to helping shape the next stage of the project, and we want as many people as possible to get involved in the consultation process.
“This consultation is an important milestone in the development of the Powering Up Offshore - South Coast programme. The emerging best performing options we are presenting have been informed by extensive technical and environmental studies, as well as engagement with stakeholders, and we now want to hear directly from communities and interested parties on these proposals.”
The Cork events will continue to take place on Wednesday 4 November at Garryvoe Hotel from 12-8pm. Mobile Information Unit Information Stands will be at Garryvoe Beach from 10am-1pm and Cloyne GAA carpark from 2-5pm on Tuesday 27 October.
Online events take place from 7-8pm on Thursday 8 October and 26 November via Zoom. Other events took place on Tuesday at Cloyne Cathedral and Wednesday at Aghada Community Centre.
For more information, details of consultation events and to make a submission, visit www.eirgrid.ie/south-coast-offshore.