Appeal to minister on ‘dangerous’ cross border electricity connection - North South Interconnector

A Co Tyrone campaign group has called on the Infrastructure Minister to rethink proposals for what they claim is a “dangerous” high voltage cross-border electricity connection.
By Philip Bradfield
Published 13th Aug 2020, 06:30 BST
Updated 13th Aug 2020, 10:06 BST
A graphic representation of how the North South Interconnector will look. (Source: SONI)A graphic representation of how the North South Interconnector will look. (Source: SONI)
A graphic representation of how the North South Interconnector will look. (Source: SONI)

The £250m North South Interconnector, between Counties Tyrone and Meath, aims to link the island’s power grids to give NI greater access to southern electricity.

The link was meant to be ready by 2017 but has faced repeated planning challenges.

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Yesterday residents and businesses under the banner SEAT (Safe Electricity Armagh and Tyrone) called on Minister for Infrastructure Nichola Mallon to rethink the plans, ahead of a key decision.

SEAT chair Jim Lennon, said: “We recognise the need for a secure energy network for Northern Ireland, and we want to make it clear that SEAT is not opposing an underground interconnector. We, along with all the landowners and affected residents on the proposed route, are however vehemently opposed to the use of a dangerous, very high voltage, overhead interconnector. Eirgrid agrees that undergrounding a 400kv line is a viable option.”

The detrimental impact on human health, the environment, agriculture and local businesses needs to be properly explored by the Department, he said.

However the organisation which runs NI’s grid insisted the plans were safe.

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Alan Campbell, Head of the North South Interconnector project at SONI (Electricity System Operator for Northern Ireland), said: “We acknowledge that some people worry about the electric and magnetic fields (EMFs) that are found near electricity lines and cables, but wish to assure that the EMFs from electricity are in the extremely low frequency end of the electro-magnetic spectrum.”

These occur in the home and workplace, he said, and health and regulatory authorities, including the World Health Organisation, say extremely low frequencies do not present a health risk.

He added that the project will create major employment, reduce costs and help “decarbonise” the power system.

It has also had broad support from consumer, environmental, business and industry representatives as well as the Department for the Economy, he added.

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The Department of Infrastructure responded that it is processing the planning application. “The Minister will have regard to a wide range of issues raised by parties during the applications’ processing, including health matters and the need for the proposal,” a spokeswoman said.

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Related topics:Counties