I welcome the revised plans for Powering Up Dublin announced today that will mean less disruption as Eirgrid lay new cables underground to modernise our electiricity grid. I really welcome the changes that the Eirgrid team have made throughout the consultation process. Further information can be found here and the project brochure specific to Poolbeg to Carrickmines is here.
I have met them on a number of occasions since they announced the plans and they have also engaged extensively with local residents who had constructive feedback and suggestions.
The new plans avoid busy routes along Ballyogan Road, Murphystown Way and Leopardstown Road and instead plan to go underground through the Leopardstown Racecourse. I look forward to engaging with the Eirgrid team to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum for local residents, schools, commuters and businesses along the revised underground cable routes.
It can’t be emphasised enough the importance of this infrastructure project for reducing emissions and meeting Ireland’s ambitious climate targets by replacing these almost half-century old underground electricity cables.
Overall, the project is an essential infrastructure upgrade for our electricity grid, helping it to decarbonise with new renewable forms of energy while increasing capacity and reliability as our population grows. As our heat and transport sectors begin to electrify too, we need a stronger grid to cater for increased demand from heat pumps and electric bikes, buses and cars. I also look forward to the potential for improving our transport infrastructure in parallel with any works on underground cabling with the potential to improve walking, cycling and bus priority on some of the roads involved.
Another interesting aspect to this project is the Community Benefit Fund that will begin when the project gets off the ground. Under the budget of Powering Up Dublin there will be funds available for community projects in the areas that are affected by the project. More information about Community Benefit Funds here which have been in place for areas with wind farms for some time.
Any questions or feedback? You can contact the Eirgrid team directly or you can contact me with any issues you would like to raise.
