Described as the “most important infrastructure scheme on the island of Ireland,” North – South Interconnector will create an overhead cross-border electricity line further connecting the electric grids of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
AECOM supported the 140 km 400 kV overhead line and substation project in the design, assessment and delivery through planning.
The North-South Interconnector will help reduce network operating costs and strengthen electricity supply on both power systems. It will support greater competition in the electricity market and facilitate more electricity generation from renewable sources being brought onto the system.
AECOM’s role included detailed pre-planning environmental feasibility and options studies leading to the Environmental Impact Assessment of the overhead line route and substation. We also provided specialist environmental expertise on both sides of the border.
In addition to the EIA role, we led on the preparation of the cross-border Joint Environmental Report (the first of its kind in Europe) and worked with the cross-border steering group to ensure a consistent approach to cross-border issues such as landscape and visual impacts and ecology issues.
We assisted at the Public Inquiry and Oral Hearing for the project, providing expert witnesses and key environmental written submissions. The Project was granted planning permission in December 2016 in Ireland and January 2018 in Northern Ireland.