Latest news with #EirGrid
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Work starts on Celtic Interconnector as ship arrives in Cork to lay underwater cable
Work laying the underwater cable for the first electricity interconnector between Ireland and mainland Europe has begun. It marks a major milestone in the huge €1bn Celtic Interconnector scheme to link the electricity grids of the two countries. A specialist marine vessel, Calypso, arrived from Norway into the Port of Cork this week, with a huge cable spool on its deck, to begin laying an 84km section of the estimated 500km of high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable required to link the coast of East Cork and Brittany in northern France. While Ireland and France both use high voltage alternative current (HVAC) technology to move electricity around their networks and supply consumers, HVDC technology is best for moving electricity over long distances. The crew of the Calypso will lay HVDC cable on the seabed but it will be buried by two other vessels. The work is weather sensitive and is being done in summer to maximise the best weather conditions. Marine survey teams have already mapped the seabed to chart the best route for the cable, and EirGrid said it is liaising with local fisheries and marine users throughout the work. Some of the 84km of high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable on board the vessel. Once fully installed, the entire 575km Celtic Interconnector will run from East Cork to the north-west of Brittany and will allow for the exchange of 700MW of electricity - enough to power some 450,000 homes. On the Irish side, the cable will make landfall at Youghal, where work has been underway at Claycastle Beach in recent weeks to prepare its landing point. The project has also involved extensive cable installation work along roadsides and through fields across East Cork to transfer the electricity from the landing point at Youghal to a massive new convertor station which has been built at Ballyadam, near Carrigtwohill, where internal fitout is continuing, and onwards to a grid connection point in Knockraha. The convertor building will convert the HVDC electricity arriving from France to HVAC for use in the Irish network, and vice versa for the power that may be exported from Ireland to France. Similar onshore work is ongoing in Brittany. The Celtic Interconnector project is being developed by EirGrid, which operates and develops Ireland's electricity grid, and its French equivalent, Réseau de Transport d'Electricité (RTÉ), and is being co-funded by the EU Connecting Europe Fund. Some of the staff from EirGrid and the crew from the specialist marine vessel, Calypso. EirGrid's chief financial officer, Michael Behan, said the start of this crucial phase of the project really shows the progress being made on what is a key energy project for Ireland. 'This feat of engineering that will take place over the coming weeks is testament to the collaboration, innovation and care required to deliver this critical infrastructure,' he said. 'We remain grateful for the continued patience and support of communities, landowners, and stakeholders as we progress this project.' It is estimated that construction of the entire project will be complete by 2028, a delay on original timelines which EirGrid has blamed partly on weather conditions at times.
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Laying of submarine cable for Celtic Interconnector gets underway
A landmark moment was reached this week on the Celtic Interconnector project, as laying of the submarine cable commenced on the key energy project linking the electricity grids of Ireland and France. The next phase of the project was signalled by the arrival of the specialist marine vessel Calypso, which will lay the high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable for the project, which is being developed with EirGrid and its French equivalent, Réseau de Transport d'Electricité (RTE) and co-funded by the EU Connecting Europe Fund. When complete, it will be the first interconnector between Ireland and continental Europe, travelling from east Cork to the north-west coast of Brittany. The vessel, which arrived from Norway into the Port of Cork, has started the cable laying along an 84km section of the route. When fully complete, the HVDC cable will span 500km from east Cork to the north-west of Brittany and will allow the exchange of 700MW of electricity, equal to powering 450,000 homes. The cable is being laid onto the seabed by the Calypso, with burial works done by two further vessels. The cable lay and burial operations are weather sensitive and are being carried out in summer, to align with the best weather conditions. Marine survey teams have mapped the seabed in advance of works to chart the optimal route for the cable, with EirGrid liaising with local fisheries and marine users throughout. "EirGrid is proud to welcome this latest phase of works on the Celtic Interconnector project, which really shows the progress being made on this key energy project for Ireland," said Michael Behan, CFO, Eirgrid. "This feat of engineering that will take place over the coming weeks is testament to the collaboration, innovation and care required to deliver this critical infrastructure. We remain grateful for the continued patience and support of communities, landowners, and stakeholders as we progress this project." The cable laying installation is just one element of this strategic infrastructure project being developed by EirGrid and its French counterpart, Réseau de Transport d'Électricité. The project's onshore phase has seen approximately 10km of high voltage alternating current cable installed in roads, with HVDC cabling works currently being progressed. Meanwhile, civil works at the project's converter station, located at Ballyadam, near Carrigtwohill, are near completion, with internal fitouts of the converter hall progressing well.
Agriland
31-07-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Govt to Invest E3 5 Billion Into Irelands Electricity Infrastructure
The government has announced a landmark €3.5 billion investment in Ireland's electricity grid infrastructure, as part of the National Development Plan. The Taoiseach, Micheál Martin published the plan yesterday (July 22), which will see a total investment of €275.4 billion from 2026 to 2035. As part of the investment, €1.5 billion will be allocated to ESB Networks, and €2 billion will be allocated to EirGrid. This will enable both companies to significantly increase capital investment to expand Ireland's onshore and offshore electricity transmission, and distribution network infrastructure. According to the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment the enhanced grid will be crucial to deliver on key commitments in the programme for government, including achieving 80% renewable electricity by 2030. This requires building 9GW of onshore wind, 8GW of solar power, and 5GW of offshore wind in construction by 2030 – targets that are only possible with a world-class electricity network. The department claims that the scale of investment is reflective of expenditure required in most European countries as they seek to increase connections of renewable energy, interconnect with neighbouring countries, and provide reliable networks for the increased electrification of the energy system. The Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O'Brien said: "This €3.5 billion investment is about building the energy infrastructure that Ireland needs for the future. "It's about ensuring every home and business has a reliable and secure source of electricity, creating thousands of jobs, and making Ireland a more attractive place for international companies to invest and grow." "A modern, resilient electricity grid is the backbone of everything we want to achieve — from powering the 300,000 new homes we've committed to build by 2030, to attracting the foreign investment that creates jobs in communities across Ireland," Minister O'Brien added. Meanwhile, the Minister of State with responsibility for the Marine, Timmy Dooley believes that Ireland's offshore energy potential is "enormous". "Our Atlantic coastline offers some of the best offshore wind resources in the world, and with the right infrastructure, we can transform Ireland from an energy importer to an energy exporter," he said.
Irish Times
29-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Minister for Justice to tell Cabinet preferred candidate for next Garda Commissioner
The identity of the next Garda Commissioner is set to be confirmed after the Cabinet meets on Tuesday. Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan is expected to recommend a candidate who has emerged from the recent recruitment process to replace the current commissioner, Drew Harris . Mr Harris, who was first appointed in 2018, will continue in the role until September 1st. The Irish Times reported last week that, according to sources, the number of senior Garda officers who applied for the commissioner's job was relatively low. The post was advertised in May and carries a salary of at least €314,000. READ MORE However, both serving deputy commissioners, Justin Kelly and Shawna Coxon, are believed to have applied. Separately, Minister for Energy Darragh O'Brien is to brief colleagues on the issuing of letters to the boards of EirGrid and the ESB on the Government 's approval of up to €3.5 billion additional investment in electricity infrastructure as part of the National Development Plan . The investment is split into €2 billion for EirGrid, to support the financing of the offshore electricity grid, and €1.5 billion for ESB to support the onshore grid. Mr O'Brien will also brief Ministers on the summary of draft legislation to support the development of forestry 'corridors' for the electricity network. This come after the damage and disruption caused by Storm Éowyn in January, which exposed the vulnerability of parts of the electricity network to fallen trees. The goal of the Bill is to outline a statutory regime for the development of forestry corridors, including additional vegetation management powers for ESB Networks and to provide for regulations on the dimensions and conditions of corridors. The draft legislation follows consultation with the departments of agriculture and housing, forestry organisation Coillte and ESB Networks. Consultation with forestry and landowners will take place during the drafting of the final legislation. The Cabinet will also be updated by Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary on the planned introduction of the Government's pensions auto-enrolment scheme – My Future Fund – from next January 1st. A chief executive for the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority will be announced shortly along with board members. Under the scheme all employees aged between 23 and 60 earning more than €20,000 per year and who are not paying into a pension scheme will be automatically enrolled into My Future Fund. Minister for Housing James Browne will brief colleagues on 2023 statistics from local authorities and other State bodies on the percentage of their employees who have a disability. In 2023, public-sector bodies were set a minimum target of having people with disabilities make up 3 per cent of their workforce. All but one of the 31 local authorities and 14 other public bodies under the aegis of the Department of Housing met the 3 per cent target. In 2023, 33 bodies had already reached the 2024 target of 4.5 per cent, including 18 bodies that had already met a 6 per cent target to be achieved by 2025.
Irish Independent
27-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Progress made on offshore wind plans as surveys on Wexford beaches begin
EirGrid, the operator and developer of Ireland's electricity grid, will begin the surveys, conducted by Fugro, this month, and are expected to be completed by September 2025. Engagement is ongoing between councils, local communities, and landowners with EirGrid in relation to these works as some of the landfall surveys are on private lands, however surveys are also scheduled on public beaches at potential landfall locations. The beaches where non-intrusive surveys will take place are Ballycroneen and Ballycrenane in County Cork and Carnivan, Long Gap and Blackhall Beach in County Wexford. These surveys will enable progress on EirGrid's Powering Up Offshore - South Coast project, which aims to deliver the grid transmission infrastructure needed to connect 900 MW of offshore wind generation to onshore grid connection points along Ireland's south coast. Fugro will perform comprehensive geophysical, geotechnical, environmental and metocean surveys within Maritime Area A, or Tonn Nua of the Irish Government's South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan, as well as intertidal, non-intrusive landfall investigations involving geophysical and environmental surveys. Ahead of the beginning of the survey works, the Chief Transformation and Technology Officer at EirGrid, Liam Ryan said: 'These surveys are key for assessing seabed conditions, soil properties, and environmental impacts across the landfall, intertidal, nearshore, and offshore zones related to cable corridors for the project. "The insights gained as a result of this work will play a key role in informing plans for the installation of the transmission infrastructure for offshore wind energy and will guide how EirGrid progress the project in a way that is best for our marine ecosystem and local communities.' Powering Up Offshore – South Coast is an integral part of the Irish Government's climate action plan targets to expand Ireland's renewable energy capacity to 80 percent renewable energy, including at least 5 GW of offshore wind energy. For more information about the Powering Up Offshore - South Coast project visit
