The Kildare-Meath Grid Upgrade (also known as Capital Project 966) will add or upgrade a high-capacity electricity connection between Dunstown substation in Kildare and Woodland substation in Meath.
The upgrade will help to more effectively transfer power to the east of the country and distribute it within the electricity network in Meath, Kildare and surrounding counties.
The project is essential to meet the Government of Ireland’s Climate Action Plan target of up to 80% of renewable energy generation by 2030, this includes transporting electricity from offshore renewable sources. It will also help meet the growing demand for electricity in the East. This growth is due to increased economic activity and the planned connection of new large-scale IT industry infrastructure in the region.
A significant number of Ireland’s electricity generators are in the South and South West, where many wind farms and some modern electricity generators are. The power they generate needs to be transported to where it is needed. Power is currently transported across the country on two high-voltage power lines from Moneypoint in Clare to the Dunstown substation in Kildare and Woodland substation in Meath. Transporting more electricity on these lines could cause electricity supply problems throughout Ireland, particularly if one of the lines is lost (where power is out) unexpectedly.