East Cork is the most suitable location to develop a new interconnector which will link Ireland and France, according to EirGrid.

The state-owned operator and developer of the electricity transmission grid in Ireland was speaking at a recent meeting with the Cork Chamber of Commerce.

For the past number of years, EirGrid has been working with its counterpart in France, Réseau de Transport d'Electricité (RTE), to investigate the feasibility of building an electricity interconnector between the two countries.

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The proposed development, called the Celtic Interconnector, will move electricity between Ireland and France.

It will comprise a 500 kilometre submarine electricity cable placed on or beneath the seabed between France and Ireland. There will be a further 75 kilometres of cable on land in France and Ireland.

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 said.

"In order to further assess the subsea cable route and landfall options, additional studies are needed along the coast of East Cork. The surveys are planned to commence in May 2018. There will also be a comprehensive programme of local stakeholder consultation.

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

(CD/LM)