Madam, - I would be grateful for the opportunity to respond to recent letters in relation to EirGrid's proposal for essential new 400 kilovolt (kV) electricity lines in Meath, Cavan and Monaghan,currently the subject of public consultation.
The proposed power lines are vital to ensure reliable and economic electricity supplies to homes, farms, small businesses and industries, as well as facilitating competition in the electricity market. Without this upgrade, the region would not in future be assured of the high quality bulk electricity supply so necessary for all aspects of modern life and business.
The 400kV electricity lines proposed are the same as the existing 400kV lines that run from Moneypoint in Co Clare to Kildare and Meath. Those have been in operation since the 1980s. They are similar to lines which are standard throughout Europe and internationally. Some 97 per cent of high-voltage lines in Europe are carried overhead and no 400kV power line of the length and type needed in the north-east has ever been placed underground anywhere in the world.
All Irish power lines comply with the standard guidelines of the EU and the International Commission of Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) for electric and magnetic field (EMF) exposure levels. The World Health Organisation, in its most recent EMF report (June 2007), having reviewed the relevant research, confirmed that compliance with ICNIRP standards was sufficient to protect public health. In fact the levels of EMF from power lines in Ireland are generally much lower than ICNIRP levels, and are lower than levels from appliances commonly used in homes throughout the country.
In relation to some of the specific points raised, I can assure your readers that neither EirGrid nor any other power company in Ireland has any 15-minute limit on working with power lines. In fact there is no time limit in place for employees of electricity companies in Ireland for such work.
More than 2,500 people have attended open days or received information via telephone, email or letter over the past two months. EirGrid is continuing to consult all stakeholders on route options for these two new lines. Anyone can phone us on 1890 25 26 90. We strongly believe that our present proposal for upgrading the transmission system is the best one, both for this region and for all electricity customers in the State. Under the planning system, the independent planning authorities will make the decision on these two lines and people can submit any observations or objections to the planning authorities when a planning application is made next year. - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL KELLY, Communications Manager, EirGrid, Dublin 2.