EirGrid has launched a public consultation on a range of options for a new electricity scheme to reinforce the network across Kildare and Meath.

The company is writing to 57,000 homes across the two counties seeking feedback on five technical solutions for the Kildare-Meath Grid Upgrade project.

The project will add a high-capacity electricity connection between Dunstown substation in Kildare and Woodland substation in Meath. These are the end points for large amounts of power that is transported across the country on high-voltage power lines from Moneypoint in Clare.

The development will significantly improve the transfer and distribution of this power across Meath, Kildare and surrounding counties.

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Michael Mahon, EirGrid chief infrastructure officer, said: "The project is essential to enable the further integration of renewable energy in line with Government policy, including the transport of electricity from offshore windfarms. It will also help meet the growing demand for electricity in the East. This growth is due to increased economic activity and the connection of new large-scale IT infrastructure in the region."

The five options under consideration are connecting and up-voltaging two existing 220 kilovolt (kV) overhead lines: a 400 kV overhead line; a 220 kV underground cable; a single 400 kV underground cable; 400 kV underground cables along two separate routes.

Studies to date have indicated that the up-voltaging solution is the emerging best-performing option, with the single 400 kV underground cable as the emerging best-performing alternative.

The project team will consider feedback on all five options before making a decision on which one to take into the next stage of this project.

The public consultation runs until 14 December.