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The East-West Interconnector will connect the Irish power system to the electricity grid in Britain through undersea and underground cables. This infrastructure is vital to the development of Ireland's economy. The Interconnector will have a capacity of 500 Megawatts (MW). The Interconnector is on target for completion in 2012.

This is enough power to supply approximately 350,000 homes.

We are committed to keeping you fully informed about this project - especially if you live near our planned route. The construction phase will commence mid 2010 and full information about the works and any traffic management plans will be available on this website.

See the latest construction updates for works commencing in Fingal. Construction Update Form_Fingal

How will the interconnector be installed

To understand how the this electricty interconnector will work, why not take a few minutes to view an animation which demonstrates how the interconnector will be installed from Ireland to Wales:

The cables will connect underground to converter stations at Woodland, County Meath and Deeside, North Wales. The cables go underground from Rush to Woodland mainly along the public road network and will avoid urban areas as far as possible. See route map.

Current progress

UPDATE: July 2010:

We have recently responded to a number of questions raised by Rush Community Council. You can view the document here: EirGrid answers to questions raised by Rush Community Council

We have answered the questions in simple language where possible but some technical questions required detailed technical responses. Health and safety are absolutely fundamental to how we work and we operate our network in full compliance with international guidelines and recommendations at all times.

Construction has now commenced in Ireland and local residents have been advised of works in their area.  To receive email updates on works in your area email eastwestinterconnector@eirgrid.com

To receive text updates on works in your area, text the relevant key word to 51500:

For general Updates - Text EIRGRID to 51500

For Fingal County Updates – Text FINGAL to 51500

For Meath County Updates – Text MEATH to 51500

(standard rate SMS)

You can also call our lo-call information line on 1890 36 46 56.

UPDATE: June 2010:

The civil contractors have been appointed to Fingal and Meath and finalisations are being made to the programme of works. As soon as we receive the finalised traffic management plans we will make them available on this website.

As confirmed since the outset of the project, we will give local communities advance notice of works and will work with you to minimise traffic disruptions. We have received very complimentary feedback from the local communities in Wales where the installation of the interconnector is well underway. We worked well with the local community in Flint to complete works in front of the school in just 10 days.

Thank you to all those who attended the information days in Rush and Ratoath. As promised at our meeting with representatives of Rush Community Council, we are happy to respond to any requests for information with regard to the Interconnector. A number of questions have been received and we will respond to those in detail next week.

Others have requested assurances that the community contribution for Fingal be ring fenced for Rush and we have written to Fingal County Council in relation to this matter. Fingal County Council will respond to us in writing to confirm this request, a copy of which will be added to the website as soon as we receive it.

In relation to job queries that we have received, we can confirm that your details have been passed to our contractors.

We look forward to commencing the construction phase on this vital Interconnector in Ireland in the coming weeks. In the meantime, if you would like more information please do not hesitate to contact us.

UPDATE: April 2010:

To read about how the Interconnector project is progressing, view the latest  Interconnector News

UPDATE: March 2010

We are currenty preparing for the construction phase of the project and full details will be published over the coming months on this website. The construction phase of the East West Interconnector will commence mid 2010. If you wish to be notified of any works, please contact us so we can add your contact details to our traffic management database.

East-West Interconnector

Tel: 1890 36 46 56
Email: eastwestinterconnector@eirgrid.com

UPDATE: 16th September 2009 

An Bord Pleanala today granted EirGrid permission to build the 500 MW electricity Interconnector between Ireland and Wales.

The decision is a key step in the development of this vital electricity link, which will enable two-way transmission of power from 2012, and which will enable Ireland to be an exporter of renewable power.

The East-West Interconnector, which will be approximately 260 km long, can carry 500 megawatts of electricity – the equivalent of supplying power to approximately 300,000 homes. This capacity approximates to 10 per cent of peak daily electricity demand in winter in Ireland.

An Bord Pleanala’s Strategic Infrastructure Board has granted permission for the location and construction of a converter station in Woodland, Co. Meath and the installation of underground cables, mainly in public roads, to the coast at Rush, Co. Dublin approximately 45 km / 30 miles in length and in the seabed out to the foreshore limit.

Construction, which is being undertaken by Swedish engineering firm ABB, will take two years beginning in 2010 and will create 100 jobs.

UPDATE: 27th August 2009

ABB, the Swedish engineering company, awarded the contract to design, manufacture and install the East West Interconnector is currently working on the detailed design phase of the interconnector. 

The planning application is currently with An Bord Pleanala who requested additional information following the oral hearing held in March. This information was provided to them and public consultation took place from July 25th to 18th August 2009. A decision is expected in the coming weeks. Subject to planning permission, the construction phase is expected to commence during quarter two of 2010.

UPDATE: 29th March 2009

EirGrid Awards Contract for Construction of the East West Interconnector

The Government has approved the development of the new electricity interconnector between Ireland and Wales, which is due to be constructed over the next three years, in an investment by EirGrid of approximately €600 million.

Swedish Engineering firm ABB has been awarded the contract to design, manufacture and install EirGrid’s East West Electricity Interconnector. It is understood construction of this project will involve specialist international construction staff, and will also result in up to 100 jobs in Ireland during the construction period.

Pictured at the announcement of EirGrid’s contract award to ABB for construction of the East West Interconnector from Ireland to Wales are back row from left to right: Trevor Gregory, Country Manager ABB UK and Ireland, Lars Weimers, Chief Engineer, Marketing HVDC System, ABB AB, John Fitzgerald, Project Director EirGrid, Michael G. Tutty, Chairman of the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), Front Row: Peter Leupp, Head of Power Systems division ABB, and Dermot Byrne, Chief Executive EirGrid.

UPDATE: 13th March 2009

EirGrid’s Oral Hearing for the Interconnector with An Bord Pleanala took place this week in Balbriggan, the hearing was concluded after three days. EirGrid is now awaiting planning approval.

Pictured at the East West Interconnector Oral Hearing at the Bracken Court Hotel in Balbriggan are from left to right back row: Dave Watson RSK, Pat Nolan ESBI, Trevor Sheridan ESBI, Robert Donaghy ESBI, Sean Meagher Eirgrid, Front Row: Richard Brown JP Kenny, Des Cox, RPS and John Fitzgerald, Project Director

Engineering & technical details

The East West Interconnector consists of 2 submarine cables of 150 millimetres in diameter. These operate under High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) and have a joint total capacity of 500 MegaWatts (MW). Some other cable statistics:

• Length of submarine cable: 185 km / 110 miles approximately.
• Length of overland cable in Ireland: Approx 45 km / 30 miles approximately.
• Length of overland cable in Wales: Approx 30 km / 20 miles approximately.

Connection points The cables are being placed on the seabed to connect Britain to Ireland between the following locations:

• Rush Bay, Co. Dublin in Ireland
• North Wales in Britain.

When on land, the cables are placed into specially dug trenches. These trenches connect the cables to the convertor stations. These stations change Direct Current (DC) electricity into Alternating Current (AC), upon which the Irish and British transmission systems operate. These stations will be located at:

• Woodland, Co. Meath, Ireland.
• Deeside, North Wales, Britain.

Current interconnectors There is already one interconnector between Northern Ireland and Britain. It connects Northern Ireland to Scotland (the Moyle Interconnector). This new East-West Interconnector will be the first one between the Republic of Ireland and the island of Britain. It is strategically very important for our country.

Project Activity

Licences and funding

This project is licenced by the energy regulators in both Ireland and the UK:

• Commission for Energy Regulation (Ireland)
• OFGEM (UK)

This project has been part funded by the EU TEN-E Initiative.

The East West Interconnector will represent an investment of €600 million. EirGrid were granted a loan of up to €300 million  from the European Investment Bank.

The balance of the EirGrid East West Interconnector will be funded by a combination of further capital investment from commercial banks, EirGrid equity and a €110 million grant from the EU Commission for interconnection.