Major work afoot in Kildare amid replacement plans for 54km of electricity lines

EirGrid PLC have notified Kildare County Council of their intention to apply for planning permission for extensive uprate works to existing overhead lines which pass through Kildare, Offaly, and Meath.

The Rinawade – Dunfirth Tee – Kinnegad 110kV overhead line which EirGrid are proposing to upgrade and modify runs 54km in length and extends from the Kinnegad 110 kV substation in Killaskillen, County Meath and terminates at Rinawade 110kV substation in Rinawade Lower, County Kildare.

According to the Project Description submitted by EirGrid to Kildare County Council, the overhead line passes through the land of 304 landowners across the three counties. It also states that the majority of the land traversed by the overhead line is used for agricultural purposes.

The development will take place across many townlands in Kildare, including Confey, Parsonstown, Barnhall, Easton, Rinawade upper, Rinawade lower, Castletown, Old Carton, Nicholastown, Killickaweeny, Cappagh, Newtown, Ballynakill, Ballyvoneen, Dysart, Dunfierth, Coolree, Kilmurry, Thomastown, Kilshanchoe, Clonagh, Cadamstown, Tanderagee, Calfstown, Ballinderry, Balrinnet, Kilglass, Nurney, Williamstown, Ballindoolin, Carrick, Grange east, and Rahin.

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Most of the overhead line runs through Kildare, with it crossing 30.66km of the county and 140 of the total 249 supporting structures are located there. It passes through 23.16km of Meath and has 107 structures there. Within the zone of Offaly County Council, there is just 0.42km of the circuit and 2 structures.

EirGrid said it will be lodging separate planning applications with Offaly County Council and Meath County Council.

According to the plans, the proposed development within Kildare will include: "the replacement ('restringing') of the existing OHL circuit conductor wires with a new higher capacity conductor between structure numbers 93 - 153, 224 - 226, and 240 - 247; the strengthening of tower foundations at 9 locations; the strengthening of towers (i.e., member replacement) at 14 locations; the painting of towers at 15 locations; shear block remedial works of towers at 1 location; the replacement of polesets at 43 locations, with similar structures.

"There will be no change in height at 6 poleset replacements. There will be height increases between 0.1m and 2.0m at 33 poleset replacements. Poleset numbers 67, 72 and 132 will increase in height no greater than 3.0m, and poleset number 151 will increase in height no greater than 4.0m; the replumbing of polesets at 14 locations; the replacement of insulating and ancillary hardware at all structures where conductor wires will be replaced; the replacement of stay wire/anchors and associated fittings at 5 locations; the replacement of crossarms at 7 locations; the installation of fibre wrap between structure numbers 40 to 93, 226 to 229, and 248 to 249.

"All associated temporary site development works to gain access to the existing structures including vegetation clearance and management, disassembly and reassembly of gate posts/piers and removal and reinstatement of existing fencing; and other temporary associated and ancillary site development works required for the purpose of the uprate of the existing circuit, including construction compounds, silt trap, silt fences, vegetation clearance and management, stone tracks, ground protection mats, infrastructure crossing support systems (i.e., guard poles) and temporary watercourse crossings."

EirGrid has insisted that the uprate works are critically needed in order "to alleviate overloading and provide additional network capacity on the circuit." In the proposal, which has been supported by the ESB, the developers said: "The current electricity network in the east of Ireland does not have the required capacity to accommodate the anticipated future electrical generation and maintain compliance with the Transmission System Security and Planning Standards (TSSPS).

"This project is part of a suite of OHL uprates being progressed in the east to accommodate the expected future renewable generation, alleviate some of the constraints on existing generation in the area and to maintain compliance with the TSSPS."

They added that a Transmission Line Assessment Report was produced this year by ESB Networks which identified the line uprate requirements. 

EirGrid said that the works proposed to be undertaken at the structures will vary from minor works to the replacement of entire structures such as towers. They assured that "once the circuit is uprated, power can be transported more efficiently."