Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
164. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will clarify a matter regarding his Department’s press statement regarding the review of the North South Interconnector (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16062/23]
View answerThe press statement referred to in the Question announced that Government had noted an independent expert review on the North-South Interconnector, and that the review had found that the conclusions of the 2018 International Expert Commission on the decision to build the North-South Interconnector above ground remain valid.
The 2018 International Expert Commission made a number of findings and, on the basis of these findings, concluded that “from a techno-economic point of view, an Alternating Current (AC) overhead line is the most beneficial way of meeting the need for enhanced power transfer capability between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.” As part of its findings the Expert Commission emphasised the need for additional stability and reliability in the Irish and Northern Irish Grid. It found that the proposed AC overground interconnector would provide these benefits. It identified and set out the difficulties and risks that would come from trying to obtain the same benefits from an underground Direct Current (DC) link.
The current report confirms the findings of the 2018 Report that an AC overground interconnector is the most beneficial way of meeting the need for enhanced power transfer capability between the grids in Ireland and Northern Ireland. In particular, despite the fact that it notes some additional industry experience in the use of embedded DC lines, it does not recommend it for this project and only goes as far as recommending that the “VSC-HVDC option should not be ruled out for future projects”. This is the latest in a long line of independent studies confirming the analysis carried out by EirGrid.
The clear conclusion from these findings is that the North South Interconnector cannot be undergrounded for a range of reasons, including that it will not provide the grid reliability and stability that is required.
