Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
58. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has received the review into the north-south interconnector; when the findings of this review will be published; the total cost of this review to date; the number of experts involved in the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39705/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe new North-South Interconnector, which will allow for the flow of 900 MW electricity between Ireland and Northern Ireland, will be critical for improving the operation of the all-island Integrated Single Electricity Market (ISEM). It will also help to facilitate the achievement of the goal of generating up to 80% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2030. A resilient and well-connected energy infrastructure is vital for Ireland's economic well-being and the ability to respond to the future needs of energy consumers.
The option of undergrounding the North-South Interconnector has been comprehensively assessed on several occasions. Most recently, the key finding from the International Expert Commission's report of October 2018 was that an overhead line remains the most appropriate option for this critical electricity infrastructure.
Notwithstanding this, it was deemed appropriate to carry out a further short review to assess if the overall finding from the 2018 report remained valid and a financial assessment, relative to the value of the project, was conducted. Having requested tenders from a number of grid experts across Europe, two international experts were selected to carry out the study. Work is continuing on the report, which has taken longer than expected, but I understand it is to be finalised shortly. The final cost will be determined upon completion but is unlikely to exceed €40,000. This is a once-off piece of consultancy work and there should be no future costs involved.
