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 has granted EirGrid of a Foreshore License to facilitate a number of marine investigations off the coast of east Cork which will take place in Autumn 2017. EirGrid was granted a similar foreshore licences and undertook similar surveys in 2014 and 2015.
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.
The Celtic Interconnector is an EU Project of Common Interest (PCI). It has also been double labelled as one of a small group of 25 EU wide projects designated as “Electricity Highways” (e-Highway 2050), all of which added value under five highly contrasting energy scenarios which were developed to provide an array of the possible future evolution of the European power system while meeting the 2050 low carbon economy orientation. In April 2015, we made an application for project funding to the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). The application was successful and the project was awarded €3.86 million funding in July 2015. This represents 50% of the eligible costs in the feasibility study stage.