EirGrid has proposed a new electricity infrastructure project to strengthen the grid in the west of Ireland.

The scheme will help transfer electricity from the west of the country and distribute it within the network in Meath, Kildare and Dublin to meet the growing demand.

Power is currently transported cross-country on two 400 kV lines from the Moneypoint station in Clare to the Dunstown substation in Kildare and Woodland substation in Meath.

The EirGrid Capital Project 966 is likely to involve building a new circuit that links the Dunstown and Woodland substations.

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The project team is currently evaluating five possible technology options, both overhead and underground, that link the two substations.

They include an upgrade of an existing 220 kV line to 400 kV; a new 400 kV overhead line; a new 220 kV overhead line; a new 220 kV underground cable, and a new 400 kV underground cable.

These options will be evaluated against a set of five criteria: technical, economic, environmental, deliverability and socio-economic. Based on this, a shortlist of options will be put forward for more detailed evaluation and analysis.

EirGrid has launched public consultation on the project.

Feedback can be provided to the project team at www.eirgrid.com or by emailing [email protected].

The closing date for feedback is Friday 01 February.

(CM)