Celtic Interconnector

This page shows you information on this project's activity, with more recent news first.

Road Closure Updates

On-land cable works (trenching and ducting) for the Celtic Interconnector project are under way.

Click the link below for the latest updates.

The cable installation along the Celtic Interconnector cable route will be carried out in sections, with the following stages of work being carried out in each section:

Stage 1: Excavation of cable trench, installation of cable ducts and installation of passing bays.

               Temporary road closures will be required on non-national roads.

Stage 2: Installation of Jointing Bays

              Use of passing bays will eliminate the need for road closures.

Stage 3: Cable installation and associated works including jointing of cable connections.

        Use of passing bays will eliminate the need for road closures.

On completion of work the road surface will be reinstated and passing bays will be removed.

This will require final temporary road closures on non-national roads.

To learn more please view the short animation linked below.

Our first Celtic Interconnector Community Newsletter is now available here.

The newsletter will bring you up to date on the works in Ireland and in France, community benefit and other topics related to the delivery of this strategic energy project.

Now that works are about to commence, we look forward to continuing to keep you up to date.

Sorensen Civil Engineering, Nexans appointed sub-contractor on the Celtic Interconnector project, has been carrying out pre-work activities such as trial holes, slit trenches and surveys along the Celtic Interconnector cable route for the past number of months in preparation for works to commence.

The first application for a temporary road closure licence has now also been submitted by Sorensen to Cork County Council.

The Process

Cork County Council publishes the details of any road closure licence application received by it in the Irish Examiner. The application and all relevant submissions made to the council regarding the application is considered.  

Should Cork County Council grant the application, it will publish the dates of the road closures in the Irish Examiner.

Local and emergency access will continue, and every effort will be made to minimise disruption to residents, businesses, and the public along the route during the cable works.

 

If you would like to receive updates on the cable works for the Celtic Interconnector via Text Alerts, you can subscribe to the

FREE Text Alert Service

Text INTER to 50015

And to speak directly with Sorensen regarding the works, you can contact Sorensen’s Liaison Officer, Elaine Cronin at

086 032 6171 or celticinterconnector@sorensen.ie

 

In recognition of the important role communities play in facilitating grid infrastructure, as we work towards achieving our climate ambitions, the Celtic Interconnector Community Benefit Fund opened on 29 June 2023.

The €960,000 available fund represents 40 percent of the overall €2.4m fund.

To ensure decisions on how the funds are distributed in a transparent, participatory, and inclusive manner, a fund support and administration service has been set up and is being operated by SECAD Partnership CLG, based in east Cork.

An online information session on the fund (virtually via Zoom) will be hosted on Thursday 6 July at 6.30pm with one-to-one clinics also taking place.

See more details on the Community Benefit Fund page

Regarding project progress, the two engineering, procurement, and construction contractors, Nexans and Siemens, are actively progressing the detailed design and ordering equipment for the Celtic Interconnector since the contracts were signed last November and some manufacturing works have now commenced.

EirGrid and its partner, Réseau de Transport d'Électricité (RTE) are working with both contractors to ensure designs meet project requirements. The contractors are planning to have an initial enabling works contract to develop the site during the summer, before progressing with the main construction works in the autumn.

Update

On 16th March 2023, Sorensen Civil Engineering Ltd. signed a contract with Nexans to deliver the cable works from the landfall site at Claycastle Beach, to the grid connection point at Knockraha Substation.

They are now planning to commence trenching and ducting works at Knockraha in late May 2023.

 

What happens next

In advance of the commencement of the main works and to assist the detailed design process, site investigations are required along the cable route. These site investigations are planned to commence at Knockraha Substation in early April 2023 and move eastwards towards Youghal. It will require trial hole excavations and boreholes along the route of the cable. The site investigations will predominantly be in roadways, with a small number of boreholes and trial holes at off-road locations. All site investigation works located on roads will be carried out under lane-closures with access always assured. This means that road closures are not required. This will minimise any disruption to the general public, residents along the route and local business owners.

 

Keep in touch

As the works progress, residents and businesses along the route will be contacted by Nexans and Sorensen directly. The Sorensen team will also call door-to-door to local residents and businesses in advance of the site investigation works as they progress along the route. They will be providing more detailed information on the works and any planned traffic management.

If you have any queries on the Celtic Interconnector project cable works being carried out by Sorensen you can contact them directly on the dedicated phone number below.

Sorensen’s liaison phone number: 086 032 6171.

Additionally, the Celtic Interconnector project team remain available to you and will continue to provide information on the planned works at regular intervals throughout the project’s lifetime. These planned communications and updates will be via several forums. Information events are being arranged in the coming months, where local communities will be able to meet the team and ask questions. Details of these events will be available once arrangements are finalised.

We issue project updates from time to time by email. If you would like to be added to this distribution list, please contact us at celticinterconnector@eirgrid.com

 

 

SECAD, who were appointed in June 2022 as the grant administrator of the Celtic Interconnector Community Benefit Fund, are currently undertaking a community consultation on behalf of EirGrid to develop the fund strategy. The consultation survey, including a map of the proposed community benefit area is available online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/EirGridCommunityBenefitStrategy and is open for submissions until Tuesday, 20th December 2022. An online information session on the survey and the strategy development approach will be held online on Tuesday, 13th December at 7.00pm. For full details and to register for the webinar go to Celtic Interconnector Community Benefit Fund - SECAD Partnership CLG   

EirGrid and our French project partner, Réseau de Transport d’Electricité (RTE), signed key technical and financial agreements for the Celtic Interconnector moving the project to Step 6, the construction phase. Contracts have been signed with Siemens Energy for the development of converter stations in Ireland and France; and French cable manufacturer Nexans, which will design and install the 575-kilometre cable between the two countries. Agreements have also been signed for €800 million of financing to be provided by the European Investment Bank, Danske Bank, Barclays and BNP.

Our application to the UK Marine Management Organisation under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, Part 4, for a marine licence to undertake the installation of that portion of the Celtic Interconnector within the UK Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) was granted in September.

Our application for a Foreshore Licence in Ireland, submitted in 2021, has now been granted by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (Foreshore Unit). The decision document of August 2022 can be viewed here. 

23 May 2022

An Bord Pleanála granted approval for the Celtic Interconnector Project, subject to a number of conditions.

The planning application included a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report and Natura Impact Statement.

An Bord Pleanála assessed the proposal, including the landfall in Youghal, cable route, converter station and network connection and associated technologies. The board also ran a seven-week period of statutory consultation.

 

A Foreshore Licence has been submitted for the offshore elements of the project in Ireland, and a marine licence is also required from the UK Marine Management Organisation.

While subject to securing these consents, we continue to focus on ongoing detailed assessments and to engage with and listen to communities and stakeholders as the project progresses.

31 March 2022

A public consultation on the Foreshore Licence Appropriate Assessment (ecology of designated Natura sites) for the EirGrid Celtic Interconnector Electricity Cable was launched on the 29th March by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Foreshore Unit.

Consultation is now underway and will complete on the 27th April. During this time the application will be available for viewing online at www.celticinterconnectorforeshorelicence.ie on https://www.gov.ie/en/foreshore-notice/7bfb1-eirgrid-celtic-interconnector-electricity-cable/ and in hard copy at Youghal Garda Station and Youghal Library, as well as Waterford County Council Planning Department and Cork County Council Planning Department.   

Please note observations or submissions will need to be sent directly within 30 days from 29th March to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage at Foreshore Unit, Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Newtown Road, Wexford, Co. Wexford or by e-mail to foreshore@housing.gov.ie (Quoting Ref: FS006916).

24 March 2022

Members of the EirGrid Celtic Interconnector project team will be in East Cork in March to meet with stakeholders and answer any questions you may have on the project. We will be in the Midleton Park Hotel on Thursday 24th March from 12.00 pm – 8.00 pm and in Youghal at the Walter Raleigh Hotel on Wednesday 30th March from 12.00 pm – 8.00 pm.

15 March 2022

On Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th February members of the Celtic Interconnector project team met with stakeholders in Knockraha regarding the proposed development at the Knockraha 220 kV Substation. The key message for stakeholders was the timely notification of the need for a ‘Cable Sealing End’ at the Knockraha substation which would be sited alongside the existing perimeter fence. This is an additional outside area containing lightweight electrical equipment required to terminate the AC cable prior to its entry to the existing 220 kV substation. Should the development get consented it is now known that this modification will be required. As per the Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) process this modification would require the consent of An Bord Pleanála as a subsequent step in the SID process.

The public consultation managed by the Marine Management Organisation under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, Part 4, for a marine licence to undertake the installation of that portion of the Celtic Interconnector within the UK Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) closed on 11 February 2022.

EirGrid is now awaiting decisions on all planning applications including the planning application to An Bord Pleanála for the Irish on-shore element of the Celtic Interconnector under the Strategic Infrastructure Development process, a foreshore licence for consent to install and operate the Celtic Interconnector in Irish waters submitted to the Foreshore Unit, Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in addition to the previously mentioned marine licence form the UK Marine Management Organisation.

 

A public consultation is now open in the UK where EirGrid and RTE have applied to the Marine Management Organisation under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, Part 4, for a marine licence to undertake the installation of that portion of the Celtic Interconnector within the UK Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The public consultation opened on the 23 December and will remain open until the 19 January. Representations in respect of the application should ordinarily be made by visiting the MMO public register at

https://marinelicensing.marinemanagement.org.uk/mmofox5/fox/live/MMO_PUBLIC_REGISTER/search?area=3  and accessing the `Public Representation’ section of case reference MLA/2021/00323

The statutory public consultation regarding an application on behalf of EirGrid plc for a foreshore licence to install and operate the Ireland Offshore portion of the Celtic Interconnector closed on Monday 6 December 2021. This process is managed by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage at Foreshore Unit, Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Newtown Road, Wexford, Co. Wexford.

The planning application to An Bord Pleanála for the Ireland Onshore portion of the Celtic Interconnector under the Strategic Infrastructure Development process has also completed the period of public consultation. Following the public consultation period, An Bord Pleanála directed that an Oral Hearing would not be held in respect of the proposed development. The applicant is now awaiting a planning decision from An Bord Pleanála.

 

11 October 2021

The statutory public consultation with regard to an application on behalf of EirGrid plc for a foreshore licence for consent to install and operate the Celtic Interconnector opened on Monday the 11 October 2021 for 8 weeks. It closes on Monday 6 December 2021 at 5.30 pm.

During this time the application will be available for viewing online at www.celticinterconnectorforeshorelicence.ie  and in hard copy at Youghal Garda Station and Youghal Library, as well as Waterford County Council Planning Department and Cork County Council Planning Department.  Full detail of what is available and where to send submissions or comments can be seen here.

Please note observations or submissions will need to be sent directly within 8 weeks from today to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage at Foreshore Unit, Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Newtown Road, Wexford, Co. Wexford or by e-mail to foreshore@housing.gov.ie (Quoting Ref: FS006916).

20 August 2021

 

The statutory public consultation with regard to the Celtic Interconnector planning application process is currently open and will close on Monday 6 September 2021.

The documentation can be viewed and downloaded http://www.eirgridcelticinterconnector.ie/

 

It is also on public display at the Cork County Council offices, County Hall, Carrigrohane Road, Cork,T12 R2NC and at An Bord Pleanála, 64 Marlborough Street, Dublin 1, D01 V902.

Further information as to how you can submit an observation or submission directly to An Bord Pleanála regarding this project can be read in a Guide to Public Participation in the Strategic Infrastructure Development Planning Application Process available on our website.

 

Please note observations or submissions will need to be sent directly to An Bord Pleanála.

09 July 2021

EirGrid has today Friday 09 July submitted a planning application to An Bord Pleanála for the Irish on-shore element of the Celtic Interconnector under the Strategic Infrastructure Development process.

For a guide to participation in the planning process please see our latest brochure here

The project details submitted were announced a number of months ago following a multiyear process of technical assessments and engagement with the local community. The application includes a full Environmental Impact Assessment Report and Natura Impact Statement, as well as other plans and particulars.

For a map of the cable route please see here

An Bord Pleanála will assess the proposed project plan including landfall, cable route, converter station, cable route and network connection and associated technologies as part of the planning process. A seven week period of statutory consultation will commence on the 19 July 2021.

In addition to the on-shore planning application, a Foreshore Licence has been submitted for the offshore elements of the project in Ireland. This is a separate consenting process managed by the Foreshore Unit of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

21 April 2021

An information evening was held on the Celtic Community Forum. To view the presentation given by Séamus Boland, CEO, Irish Rural Link and Sinéad Dooley, Head of Public Engagement, EirGrid, please see here.

If you want to learn more about the forum, please contact Irish Rural Link on info@irishrurallink.ie or talk to Michelle Walsh, EirGrid on 085 870 4999 or email celticinterconnector@eirgrid.com.

If you are interested in representing a community group or organisation in the Celtic Interconnector project area please complete an expression of interest form available at this link and we will be in touch in the coming weeks.

The deadline for receiving expressions of interest is 12 noon on Monday 17 May.

31 March 2021

A Cable Route Options Review report is now available here. Read more about the background to this report here.

26 March 2021

As part of ongoing engagement around the Celtic Interconnector we are holding two public information webinars on:

Wednesday 7 April at 7pm

and

Thursday 8 April at 7pm

These webinars are an opportunity for stakeholders to learn more about the project and to have their questions answered by the project team.

As part of ongoing communications around the Celtic Interconnector project, EirGrid would like to update stakeholders on the project's progress.

What has happened recently?

Important decisions were made in November 2020 when we established that the submarine electricity cable will reach Ireland at Claycastle Beach, near Youghal. An underground cable will run inland on the national road and will continue north of Midleton on local roads to the converter station.  It is proposed that this is built at Ballyadam, on part of the IDA owned site, to the east of Carrigtwohill. The final connection will be by underground cable from Ballyadam to a substation on the national grid at Knockraha.

Converter Station

The converter station is an essential part of the link. A converter station is an industrial building housing electrical equipment to convert Direct Current electricity to Alternating Current electricity (the type of electricity used in our homes and businesses) and vice versa.

To see what a converter station looks like please view this short video of the EirGrid East West Interconnector converter station built in Meath in 2011.

The Celtic Interconnector converter station will benefit from design developments over the past 10 years and may be smaller in footprint and in height.

Update on the underground cable route

EirGrid has identified a route for the cable from Youghal to Carrigtwohill. Wherever possible the cable will be laid in the public road. Please refer to the most recent Cable Route Map here.

Killeagh and Castlemartyr

Challenges to routing the cable circuit through Killeagh and Castlemartyr villages were raised in the assessment process. We propose to bypass both villages, laying the cable in agricultural land north of Castlemartyr and south-east of Killeagh.

Underground Cable

There are two types of underground cable being used for the project.

High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) underground cable

HVDC cable is used to transport electrical energy over long distances. For this project a HVDC cable will be laid between the converter station in France, under sea to Ireland and from the landfall location in Ireland to the Irish converter station at Ballyadam.

High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) underground cable

HVAC underground cable will be used to transfer electricity between the converter station in Ballyadam and the Knockraha substation and vice versa. 

We are considering two voltage options for this HVAC cable; 220 kV and 400 kV.

Technical studies are ongoing to verify whether the 400 kV or 220 kV solution is the most appropriate AC cable solution for the Celtic Interconnector project.

Either AC technology option will require additional electrical equipment at Knockraha substation

A brochure on Underground Cables can be found here.

Health and safety

EirGrid can confidently assure communities that the Celtic Interconnector is safe and poses no threat to the health of anyone living near it.  To learn more on this subject please go to our page on The Electricity Grid and Your Health.

What’s happening now?

A planning application is being prepared for submission to An Bord Pleanála this spring. Other consents such as a Foreshore Licence will also be applied for.

Once we submit the planning consent applications, members of the public will be able to make submissions to the relevant planning authority concerning the development. They can also participate in any oral hearing that may be held by An Bord Pleanála.

The planning process is anticipated to take approximately 12 months.

Should the planning application be successful, the project will then enter the construction phase. This phase is due to start in 2022 and end in 2026.

Keep in touch

You can contact us and keep informed by speaking to us directly. Our Community Liaison Officers are available by phone and are Michelle Walsh on 085 870 4999 and Eoghan O’Sullivan on 087 247 7732.

You can register for updates by e-mail at celticinterconnector@eirgrid.com and read updates as they are published online.

All available related documents on the project are available to view here.

As part of ongoing communications around the Celtic Interconnector project, EirGrid would like to announce that Step 4 in our 6 Step Grid Development process is now closed and the Step 4b Consultant Development Options report is now available.

This is an important milestone in the project’s development and important decisions have now been made. Ballyadam has been identified as the optimum location for the converter station. This decision follows lengthy analysis by the project team and also reflects feedback received during public consultations. Over the past number of months, focused site assessments have been carried out at Ballyadam. Coupled with earlier studies and site investigations in the area, a feasible location was identified within the site for the converter station.

The interconnector power cables will reach landfall in Ireland at Claycastle Beach in Youghal. From there they will travel underground to the converter station at Ballyadam and then on to the substation at Knockraha, also by way of underground cables.

An enhanced community benefit scheme will be established for the Celtic Interconnector project and we will work with the affected communities on this.

We would like to thank all of our stakeholders who have contributed to the process to date. EirGrid will continue to engage with all stakeholders as the project develops.

Press release: http://www.eirgridgroup.com/newsroom/celtic-interconnector-bal/index.xml

Related documents section: http://www.eirgridgroup.com/the-grid/projects/celtic-interconnector/related-documents/index.xml

Step 4 overview: http://www.eirgridgroup.com/site-files/library/EirGrid/Celtic-Interconnector-Step-4-Overview.pdf

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LjgfcxqUo4&t=2s

11 August 2020

As part of ongoing communications around the Celtic Interconnector project in East Cork, the project team hosted two online information webinars on the 5 and 6 August, engaging with members of community councils, business groups and interested stakeholders in the community. The project team took attendees through a short presentation where they gave an overview of the project and an update as to its current status before taking questions from attendees. The presentation is now available to view here.

Topographic and GPR (Ground Penetration Radar) surveys are being carried out in the Castlemartyr, Killeagh and Youghal areas of East Cork this month as part of early assessment work for the cable route. These surveys use light handheld equipment and where possible are being carried out at night to minimise any disruption.

28 July 2020

As part of ongoing communications around the Celtic Interconnector project in East Cork, we are hosting an online information webinar on the project on the 5 and 6 August. The webinar is open to members of local community councils, business groups etc. in addition to interested stakeholders in the wider community. It will give an introduction to the project and inform people as to what is happening now.

Should you like to join, the registration details are below and pre-registration is required.

We are hosting two sessions and people can register to attend at the time that best suits by clicking on the links below.

Register to attend on Wednesday August 5: 12.30 – 14.00 pm

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WYdCJgQ2Syu5yWkX7Kb3Lw

OR

Register to attend on Thursday August 6: 18.30 – 20.00 pm

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VBxbKrZAQGmW4eF4S_PhBg

The event is being hosted on zoom and questions can be put to the panel during the webinar or sent to us in advance at celticinterconnector@eirgrid.com

23 July 2020

​Celtic Interconnector UK PCI Public Consultation is now closed

EirGrid and Réseau de Transport d’Electricité (RTE) recently carried out a public information and consultation campaign on the Celtic Interconnector project in the United Kingdom (UK) as part of the Project of Common Interest (PCI) process. The campaign was directed at those potentially interested in the project’s marine cable route, which passes approximately 30 km to the west of the Isles of Scilly and 75 km west of the UK coast, through the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

These include fishermen and residents of South West England, in Western Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, as well as members of the wider general public.

In line with the consultation processes for the project carried out in France and in Ireland, the UK public were invited to inform themselves as to the project particulars as they concern the UK EEZ through participation in a dedicated online forum. This forum https://www.celticinterconnector.eu/ga/uk-consultation/ closed on the 13 July 2020. It will however remain available to view until the 13 October 2020. A webinar was also held on the 9 July 2020 for key invited UK stakeholders. A complete report on consultation activity in the UK will be made available online before September 2020 and you can keep up to date at www.celticinterconnector.eu/

For more information on the public consultation associated with PCI process in the UK please see the Concept for Public Participation proposed by EirGrid and RTE, which has been approved by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) as the UK Competent Authority for PCI projects.

16 June 2020

EirGrid and our Celtic Interconnector project partners Réseau de Transport d’Electricité (RTE) have today opened an online consultation and information campaign on the Celtic Interconnector in the United Kingdom (UK). A dedicated UK online consultation forum is open from the 16 June to the 13 July for questions and can be accessed at https://www.celticinterconnector.eu/ga/uk-consultation/.

Celtic UK consultation

The subsea cable route of the Celtic Interconnector, the proposed interconnector connecting the electricity grids of Ireland and France, passes approximately 30 km to the west of the Isles of Scilly and 75 km west of the UK coast. As such, the interconnector cable will pass through the UK Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) over a distance of approximately 211km. Click here for a map of the proposed route.

As a recognised Project of Common Interest (PCI) by the European Commission since 2013, RTE and EirGrid are now providing public information and consulting with UK stakeholders as part of the relevant PCI process. This consultation is primarily to address any queries from stakeholders potentially affected by the project, including the fishermen and residents of the southwest of England and the Isles of Scilly, plus answer queries from any members of the public who wish to learn about and express an opinion on the project.  

This consultation supplements the consultation processes for the project in France and in Ireland. The public can find the information specifically concerning the UK here.

An online-consultation process, which will allow stakeholders to ask any questions they have to the project team, will be available on this website from June 16 – July 13 2020.

Step 4 Update

We are continuing with our assessments of the project options with a particular focus on the sites for the converter station. Read our Step 4 Project Update here.

A number of respondents to our recent public consultation supported Site 1, the IDA site at Ballyadam near Carrigtohill, as the most appropriate location for the new converter station, given the existing industrial and commercial activity in the area. Feedback was also received from both local and national elected representatives recommending that full consideration should be given to Ballyadam.

This is one of three possible sites for the converter station. The other two are located close to Knockraha.

We indicated at the start of the consultation that work to determine a suitable location within Site 1 would continue. Work has progressed on this and having reviewed available studies and site investigations previously carried out in the area, we have established that more focused site investigations should be carried out over the coming months.

This further work is required before a final decision can be made on the best-performing converter station option to take forward to Step 5. We expect to be in a position to make the decision towards the end of 2020 and will issue a further update at that time.

We are however publishing our Step 4 consultation report at this time and will respond to as many of the issues raised as we are able to at this point in time.  We will issue a further update, along with additional findings made during our assessments, once a final decision has been made on the best performing option for the project.

As this project develops we will continue to be available to engage with stakeholders and communities. Upon confirmation of the options being progressed, we will set up a Celtic Interconnector Community Forum so we can work together with local communities to reduce impacts and maximise benefits for those living and working in the area.

Did you know we send email updates on the Celtic Interconnector when they are available?

If you would like to be included on our mailing list for Celtic Interconnector updates, please email celticinterconnector@eirgrid.com with “Yes, subscribe me to updates”. By subscribing, you are giving us permission to store your name and email address for the purposes of issuing Celtic Interconnector updates to you. You can unsubscribe from receiving updates at any time by emailing us at the same address.

Having concluded Step 3 of our six-step process, we held our next round of public consultation on the Celtic Interconnector project, as part of Step 4, between 11th November 2019 and 2nd February 2020.

We looked for feedback on a shortlist of:

• one proposed landfall location on the coast of East Cork.
• three proposed sites and cable routes for a converter station in East Cork.

To find out which sites, routes and landfall location we carried over into Step 4, and on which we are consulted, please click on our related documents page where you will find our our Step 4 brochure and our Step 4 development options report.

We have also confirmed dates and venues for our public information days as part of this consultation. Please find these below:

• Monday 18th November - Knockraha Community Centre - 4pm to 9pm
• Tuesday 19th November  - Carrigtwohill Community Hall  -  4pm to 8pm
• Friday 22nd November - Midleton Park Hotel - 4pm to 8pm
• Saturday 23rd November - Midleton Park Hotel - 12pm to 5pm
• Wednesday 27th November - Walter Raleigh Hotel, Youghal - 12pm to 8pm
• Thursday 28th November - Castlemartyr Resort Hotel - 4pm to 8pm
• Friday 29th  November - Killeagh Community Centre - 4pm to 8pm

The consultation is now closed.

EirGrid has welcomed the decision by the European Commission to provide €530 million of funding to the Celtic Interconnector.

The decision follows the submission in June of an application for funding by project developers EirGrid and its French counterpart Réseau de Transport d’Electricité (RTE). The two companies submitted the application under the Commission’s 2019 Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Energy Programme. Read more here.

Following the consultation process on Step 3, which ran from April to June, we have taken time to assess the submissions received.  We have now prepared the following:

Step 3 Consultation Report: Summarising all responses received and issues raised by stakeholders.

Step 3 Consultation Response Document: Answering questions that were raised.

Step 3 Preferred Options Report: Summarising the consultation process and providing an overview of how new information provided by stakeholders has been considered.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the consultation process on Step 3. The feedback provided has been very useful, and will inform the development of the project into the future.

Our consultation on Step 3 closed on 10 June. Thank you to everyone who participated. Your feedback is a critical component of the development of the Celtic Interconnector project. 

We are currently assessing the many responses received. On completion of this we will prepare a Consultation Report which will be published on this website. We will then confirm the shortlists for both the landfall location and converter station location zones.

In addition, we are preparing responses to the many questions and requests for further information that we have received. We appreciate your patience while we complete this work and look forward to being able to share the results with you. Thanks again.

We have launched an eight-week consultation on the Celtic Interconnector project. All stakeholders and communities are encouraged to submit their feedback by Monday, 10 June 2019.

We are looking for feedback on a shortlist of:

• three proposed landfall locations on the coast of East Cork.
• six proposed location zones for a converter station in East Cork.

This is the latest round of consultation on the project. The previous round of consultation finished in 2018 and confirmed East Cork as the most suitable location for the project in Ireland.

The proposed shortlisted landfall locations of Ballinwilling Strand, Redbarn Beach, and Claycastle Beach were selected from a list of five options.

The proposed shortlisted location zones for the converter station are situated in Ballyadam, Leamlara, Knockraha, Pigeon Hill, Kilquane and Ballyvatta in East Cork. They were selected from a list of 14 options.

Each converter station location zone and landfall location was assessed against five criteria; economic, technical, environmental, socioeconomic and deliverability. 

Feedback from the local community is an important part of the decision making process.  You can submit your feedback on the proposed shortlist, or any other element of the project, via our feedback form, by attending public information days (listed below), or by email or in writing. You can also contact us by phone to discuss the project with our team.

If you need further information on how we came to a decision, you can find more information in all of the reports that we have prepared. These detailed reports explain the steps we have taken to arrive at the proposed shortlist.

Lisgoold Community Centre               Tuesday 23 April                                  2 pm – 8 pm

Knockraha Community Centre           Wednesday 24 April                             2 pm – 8 pm

Carrigtwohill Community Centre        Tuesday 30 April                                  6 pm – 9 pm

Midleton Park Hotel                            Wednesday 1 May                               2 pm – 8 pm

Cloyne Parochial Hall                         Thursday 2 May                                   6 pm – 9 pm

Walter Raleigh Hotel, Youghal            Friday 3 May                                       2 pm – 8 pm

Members of the project team will be available at these meetings to provide an update on the project’s development and answer your questions. We look forward to meeting you there.

All stakeholders and communities are encouraged to submit their feedback by Monday, 10 June.

The project is nearing completion of Step 3 of our six-step approach to grid development.  When this phase of consultation has concluded and the stakeholder feedback has been analysed, we will confirm the two shortlists. The shortlisted options will then be subjected to further assessments in order to determine the best performing option for each. 

In September 2018 EirGrid submitted an Investment Request to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities in Ireland (CRU for the Celtic Interconnector project.

On the 20th December CRU opened a public consultation on the Celtic Interconnector’s Investment Request. A version of the Investment Request is available on the CRU website alongside CRU’s consultation paper.  Responses to this paper should be sent to electricityinterconnectors@cru.ie by Friday, 15 February 2019.

The Celtic Interconnector project is being jointly developed by EirGrid, the Irish Transmission System Operator, and Réseau de Transport d'Électricité (RTE), the Transmission System Operator in France.   

The project has been designated a European Project of Common Interest (PCI) putting it alongside projects that are considered important in completing the European energy market and helping the EU achieve its energy policy and climate goals.  Because of their strategic importance, PCI projects such as the Celtic Interconnector can benefit from improved regulatory conditions and EU financial assistance from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).

The decision by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities to progress the Celtic Interconnector project to stakeholder consultation is welcomed by EirGrid and we encourage all concerned individuals and stakeholders to participate in the consultation process.

Members of the Celtic Inteconnector team will be holding community information sessions on the project throughout December at the following locations:

• Youghal on Monday 3rd December at the Cumann na Daoine Hall from 5pm to 8pm
• Cloyne on Friday 7th December at the Cloyne Community Hall from 5pm to 8pm

Members of the project team will be available to provide an update on the project’s development and answer your questions. We also want to hear your views on how we can best deliver this project. We look forward to meeting you there.

At EirGrid we follow a six step approach to planning the grid. This approach is to facilitate engagement and consultation with our stakeholders and the public which helps us to fully explore all options and to make more informed decisions.

The Celtic Interconnector project is currently at Step 3. Step 2 was completed earlier in 2018 with East Cork being confirmed as the most suitable location for the project in Ireland. As part of this we confirmed a connection point at the existing Knockraha substation and a short list of five landfall locations in East Cork, in addition to a number of feasible converter station location zones in the region.

As part of Step 3, we are now looking to:

• Narrow down the short list of landfall locations.
• Confirm a short list of converter station location zones and the technology type for the AC land circuit.

To do this it is important that we hear the views of people living in the local area so that we can consider their input as part of our decision making process.

We will be holding public meetings to discuss the Celtic Interconnector project at:

Glounthaune Church Centre,           Wednesday 26th September,           7.00 pm

Knockraha Community Centre,       Wednesday 26th September,           9.00 pm

Carrigtwohill Community Hall,         Thursday 4th October,                      7.15 pm

Lisgoold Community Hall,               Thursday 4th October,                      9.00 pm

Members of the project team will be available at these meetings to provide an update on the project’s development and answer your questions.

We look forward to meeting you there.

On 09 and 10 May 2018, the Celtic Interconnector project team are in Midleton and Youghal, Co Cork to answer questions from the public about the proposed sub-sea electrical link between Ireland and France.

The team are on Main Street in Midleton on 09 May and Market Square in Youghal on 10 May between 10am and 4pm.

On 5 February 2018, EirGrid told a meeting of Cork Chamber of Commerce that east Cork is the most suitable location for the Celtic Interconnector. The proposed development will move electricity between Ireland and France.

John Fitzgerald, director of grid development and interconnection, said there will be a full consultation process. "We are very keen to work with local communities on this," he added.

If the project goes ahead, the interconnector would go live in 2025 or 2026.

In order to further assess the subsea cable route and landfall options for the Celtic Interconnector, additional studies are needed along the coast of East Cork. EirGrid has submitted an application for a Foreshore License to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government in order to carry out these surveys. 

If permission is granted, these surveys will take place on the foreshore, in shallow water, and offshore at Claycastle, Redbarn and Ballinwilling. The surveys are planned to commence in May 2018 and will take approximately one month to complete. Similar licences were granted and survey work undertaken in 2014, 2015, and 2017. 

A copy of the application, the relevant maps, plans, reports and drawings, are available in Garda stations in Youghal, Ballycotton and Midleton, Co Cork. Advertisements featured in the Evening Echo and Irish Examiner on 18 January 2018 announcing the public consultation phase of the Foreshore Licence application. 

This application is available under file reference FS 006811. The documentation is also available on the Department’s website at:  http://www.housing.gov.ie/planning/foreshore/applications/EirGrid-plc-ballinwilling-claycastle-redbarn-beaches. The consultation opens on 18 January 2018 and closes on 16 February 2018.

EirGrid and RTE have already completed a joint assessment of the feasibility of the Celtic Interconnector. This assessment considered several factors. These included a detailed suite of marine surveys, marine engineering studies, and a technical assessment. These assessments concluded that there are feasible options for the various onshore elements of the project and a feasible marine route between Ireland and France has been identified. 

Our studies also indicate that at this point the best option for the Celtic Interconnector is to connect to the existing Irish transmission system, via the East Cork area. We are currently inviting any feedback on this and any other element of what we have studied to date. To assist with this we have prepared a Project Update, that provides a short summary of the project, our assessments to date and how to provide feedback.

In July 2016, then French President, François Hollande and An Taoiseach Enda Kenny launched the current Initial Design and Pre-Consultation phase of the Celtic Interconnector.  As part of this phase EirGrid and RTE are undertaking:

• additional marine surveys in order to provide a clearer picture of routing options for the project
• consultation activities to get feedback on our plans to date, and in preparation for the statutory consultation and consenting processes
• further cost benefit analysis to ensure the benefits for France and Ireland are clear and robust
•  initial preparation for the procurement process.

The Initial Design and Pre-Consultation phase is a continuation of previous studies, and does not represent a commitment to construct the interconnector.  It will involve  initial design work as well as further studies of the marine environment close to the shore, landing points for a subsea cable and connection points to the electricity transmission grid, amongst other studies.

Following a public consultation process, the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government granted EirGrid a Foreshore License to facilitate a number of marine investigations off the coast of east Cork.  These surveys took place during Autumn 2017. 

On completion of the current phase, EirGrid, RTE and their respective regulators will decide whether to move to the next phase. A final decision to proceed with construction of the interconnector will happen in 2020/21. 

If the project goes ahead, the interconnector would go live in 2025/26. If completed, the Celtic Interconnector would be an important step towards an integrated European grid. It would make electricity supply more secure, sustainable and cost effective. As such, it would directly benefit the economies of Ireland and France.