EirGrid has completed the opening phase of marine and shoreline surveys along the south coast as part of its Powering Up Offshore – South Coast programme.

After securing a Maritime Usage Licence (MUL) from the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA), fieldwork began in July 2025. The campaign covered extensive geophysical, environmental and metocean studies around potential subsea cable route corridors linked to Maritime Area A, or Tonn Nua, within the Government’s South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (SC-DMAP). It also included non-intrusive intertidal landfall assessments using geophysical and environmental techniques.

The data gathered will now be analysed, with follow‑on investigations planned for 2026, including further geophysical and geotechnical work as well as unexploded ordnance (UXO) surveys.

Fugro is delivering the survey campaign under EirGrid's Offshore Marine Survey Framework, supported by subcontractors TechWorks Marine of Dún Laoghaire, Dublin for metocean activities, and Cork-based Green Rebel for environmental surveying.

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Two recently deployed metocean buoys will remain in place until late 2026, continuing to record waves, water quality, wind and solar radiation to aid offshore planning and environmental oversight.

Findings from the 2025 and forthcoming 2026 surveys will help shape EirGrid’s approach to installing the transmission infrastructure required for offshore wind, guiding project development in a manner that respects the local marine environment and ecosystems.

Across the 2025 campaign, 3,770 kilometres of seabed were examined, amounting to more than 40,000 manhours and relying on strong cooperation from fisheries, industry stakeholders and nearby communities.

Liam Ryan, Chief Transformation, Technology and Offshore Officer at EirGrid, said: "These surveys would not be possible without a huge amount of coordination and strategic planning of staff across EirGrid, our strategic partners, fishing communities and local landowners. We would like to thank fisheries and local communities for their continued collaboration with us to facilitate these works.

"The data being gathered from this research is essential in shaping plans for the installation of this transmission infrastructure for offshore wind and creating a cleaner energy future for Ireland by helping to inform our optioneering processes, technical and design elements and build on our understanding of the environment in the vicinity of our potential offshore cable routes and offshore substation locations."

Powering Up Offshore – South Coast is intended to deliver the grid transmission infrastructure to connect 900 MW of offshore wind generation to onshore connection points along Ireland’s south coast, supporting Government climate goals to reach 80% renewable electricity, including at least 5 GW of offshore wind capacity.