‘Expensive’ underground cables only to be used as ‘last resort’

The Commission for Energy Regulation has advised the Government to only contemplate using "very expensive" underground cables as an alternative to controversial overhead power lines "as a last resort".

The regulator has also strongly urged the Government to develop an efficient regulatory process to facilitate the development of new infrastructure amid concerns about the security of future energy supplies. The CER’s view, which is contained in its response to the Government’s Green Paper on Energy, published earlier this summer, adds weight to EirGrid’s preferred option of using overhead power lines for three major projects to upgrade the country’s electricity network, despite strong opposition from anti- pylon protests in many parts of the country.

However, Independent MEP Marian Harkin accused the energy regulator of displaying a worrying ignorance and disregard for many issues by opposing underground cables purely on the basis of cost.

“The CER does not have the competence to adjudicate on possible adverse health issues, for instance,” said Ms Harkin, who claimed the regulator had joined other sectors of “official Ireland” in trying to persuade the public of the unaffordability of underground cables.

The commission claims delays in bringing the North -South interconnector between Meath and Tyrone on stream are not only adding significantly to the wholesale cost of electricity but also increasing the risk to security of supply in the North.

In particular, the CER expresses concern at the difficulties EirGrid is experiencing in developing new transmission lines, and argues that consumers will ultimately bear the added costs resulting from such delays.

Anti-pylon protesters have mounted high-profile campaigns in several parts of the country against EirGrid’s projects, which the company maintains are essential to ensure Ireland’s future electricity needs are met.

They include the €500m Grid Link project to construct new power lines along a 200km route from east Cork to Kildare via Wexford.

More than 35,000 submissions have been received on the controversial project in an extensive consultation process.

In June, EirGrid announced details of an un-costed, underground proposal along a 113km route for its Grid West project in Mayo and Roscommon, as an alternative to a €240m overhead power line option.

Its analysis of both the underground and overhead proposals will be reviewed by an independent expert panel appointed by former communications minister Pat Rabbitte, in response to public pressure to examine the cost of using underground cables for such projects. The expert panel, chaired by former Supreme Court judge Catherine McGuinness, is expected to provide its view on the preferred option in January 2015.

EirGrid has pointed out that an international expert commission, which examined the possibility of using underground power lines for the North-South interconnector, concluded it was not feasible to carry high-voltage power lines by underground cable over long distances.