ABB Will Construct Electricity Interconnector Between Wales and Ireland

EirGrid, a state-owned grid operator, was granted permission today to build a proposed 500 MW electricity interconnector which will run between Ireland and Wales. Permission was granted by the Bord Pleanála and ABB, a Swedish engineering firm, will begin constructing the East-West cable line in 2010. ABB has said the project is expected to take two years to finish and construction and installation of the interconnector will create 100 new jobs.

When completed, in 2012, the interconnector will allow electricity to flow both ways transmitting power between Wales and Ireland. Additionally the new electricity link will enable Ireland to export the renewable energy it has been generating.

To be named the East-West Interconnector, the link will be 260km long and will have a capacity of 500 MW of electricity at a time. The capacity is enough to power 300,000 homes which is roughly the equivalent of 10pc of peak day to day electricity needs during the winter months in Ireland.

In order to create the interconnector, project coordinator ABB, must first construct a converter station. The convertor station is scheduled to be built in Woodland, Co Meath, and on site the company will install underground cables mostly under public roadways, running along the coastline to Rush, Co Dublin. Those cables will be 45km long and run into the seabed.