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An Bord Pleanála Inspector’s Report Re: 26.GA0005 – Application under Section 182C of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended) and 26.DA0006 – Application for a Compulsory Acquisition Order under the Gas Act, 1976 DEVELOPMENT: Natural Gas Pipeline, with ancillary ducts, manholes and an associated above ground installation connecting the existing natural gas network at Baunlusk above ground installation, County Kilkenny to the Great Island above ground installation (granted permission as part of 26.PA0016) located within the Great Island Power Station in County Wexford. TYPE OF APPLICATION: Strategic Infrastructure Development (26.GA0005). Compulsory Acquisition Order (PL26.DA0006) APPLICANT: Bord Gais Eireann LOCAL AUTHORITIES: Kilkenny County Council Wexford County Council 26.GA0005 An Bord Pleanála Page 1 of 77 SUBMISSIONS AND OBSERVATIONS Prescribed Bodies: Kilkenny County Council Wexford County Council South Tipperary County Council The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht The National Roads Authority Iarnród Eireann Inland Fisheries Ireland The Health Service Executive The Commission for Energy Regulation An Taisce Observers: The Great Island Generating Station Concerns Committee Liam Knox John Barron Donal Gorey Objectors to Compulsory Acquisition Order: John Barron Donal Gorey Dates of Site Inspection: 24th February 2012, 1st March 2012 and 5th March 2012. Date of Oral Hearing: 3rd and 4th April 2012 Inspector: Andrew Boyle 26.GA0005 An Bord Pleanála Page 2 of 77 1.0 INTRODUCTION This is a direct application to the Board for approval under Section 182C of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended by the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act, 2006. The proposed development consists of the construction of a gas pipeline from an Above Ground Installation on the existing gas pipeline from Cork to Dublin at Baunlusk in County Kilkenny to the electricity power station at Great Island in County Wexford. Under Section 2(1) of the 2000 Act, as amended by Section 6 of the 2006 Act, the proposed development constitutes strategic gas infrastructure as it comprises a strategic downstream gas pipeline, which, in turn, is defined as any proposed gas pipeline other than an upstream gas pipeline which is designed to operate at 16 bar or greater and is longer than 20 kilometres in length. The proposed development would be 46 kilometres in length and would operate at a design pressure of 85 bar. Pre-application discussions were held with the Board under Section 182E of the Act of 2000, as amended by the Act of 2006. On 20th October 2011, the Board served notice that it was of the opinion that the proposed development fell within the scope of Section 182C of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended. There is also an associated application for a Compulsory Acquisition Order under the Gas Act 1976. 2.0 THE SITE The site is linear, extending over a distance of approximately 46 kilometres. It would consist of a 14 metre wayleave which would be acquired by the applicant. This would be located within a 100 metre wide planning corridor which would define the scope for minor re-routing during the construction period. The corridor would normally be centred on the pipeline, but there would be locations where it would be moved laterally relative to the pipeline to avoid going outside the boundary of the ownership of the wayleave landowner or to avoid known archaeological or ecological features or existing buildings. The land through which the proposed pipeline would pass is described in Chapter 3 of an Environmental Impact Statement which has been lodged with the application and is shown in a series of strip maps and aerial photographs – Figures 3.1-3.24 in Volume 2 of the EIS. For the most part, the pipeline would pass through gently undulating farmland, most of which consist of fields in pasture which are bounded by field hedgerows. It would occasionally pass through areas of lower lying poorly drained land. The pipeline would cross a number of watercourses, the most notable of which is the River Barrow estuary between Ballinlaw in County Kilkenny and Ferry Point in County Wexford. Other watercourses of note are the Kings River and Little Arrigle - tributaries of the River Nore and part of the River Barrow and River Nore 26.GA0005 An Bord Pleanála Page 3 of 77 cSAC and the Derrylacky River, a tributary of the River Blackwater in County Kilkenny. The pipeline would pass through small areas of woodland. 3.0 THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT The proposed development would consist of the laying of an underground pipeline between Baunlusk and the Great Island power station. The pipeline would be 400 millimetres nominal diameter and would be composed of high strength carbon steel with an external corrosion protection coating and a cathodic protection system. The pipeline wall thickness would be 7.11 millimetres or 14.27 millimetres, the thicker wall thickness being used near residences and at road and other crossings, as required by the design code under IS328: 2003. The pipeline would be covered to a depth of at least 1.2 metres over most of its length, increasing to 1.6 metres where it would require additional protection such as at road and river crossings. An Above Ground Installation would be constructed at Castlebanny, approximately halfway along the length of the pipeline. Construction would take place within a fenced strip of land, known as the working width or spread. This would generally be 36 metres wide but would be reduced at certain locations such as hedgerows, woodland and ecologically sensitive areas. Increased working widths would be used at road crossings and similar locations for health and safety reasons. Topsoil would be stripped and stored separately to one side within the working width in a low mound not exceeding 3 metres in height. It would be kept free from disturbance to reduce the risk of physical damage or compaction. The pipeline would be delivered in 12 metre lengths. These would be stored in a storage yard at Belview Port. They would be delivered on flat bed articulated trucks, a minimum of 5 lengths being delivered at a time. The pipe sections would be offloaded with mobile cranes. They would be delivered to their final location along the working width to be stored on wooden skids parallel to the trench line. For changes in direction, pipes would be bent in a pipe bending machine at the pipe storage area or on site. For large changes in direction, factory – manufactured bends would be used. The pipeline would be strung out and then welded together. These girth welds would then be non- destructively tested. The pipe trench would be dug either with mechanical excavators straddling or running alongside the pipeline trench or with a specialist trenching machine. The depth would be variable but would allow a minimum reinstatement cover of 1.2 metres or 1.6 metres. Where rock is at or close to the surface, it would be excavated using a mechanical rock breaking plant. It was confirmed during an oral hearing into the proposed development that rock blasting would not be required. The welded pipe would be lowered into the trench in a continuous operation. It would be bedded on and fully surrounded by sand or suitable excavated material. Where necessary, the pipe would be surrounded with a rock shield 26.GA0005 An Bord Pleanála Page 4 of 77 or by making up the initial fill with a fine material to a sufficient level over the pipe to protect it from rocks and stony ground. Two 15 millimetre high density polyethylene telecommunication service sub-ducts with associated manholes and couplers would be directly buried in the sand surround above the steel gas pipe. Manholes for these ancillary ducts would be located at every road crossing. Following the placing of pipeline marking tape over the pipe, the pipe trench would then be backfilled. Material would be replaced in the trench in the reverse order to which it was excavated. Surplus material displaced by the pipeline would be disposed of to appropriately permitted facilities, in the event of it not being required by the landowner. Land drains would be reinstalled and the working width re-graded to reflect its original profile. Suitable surplus subsoil would be spread on a field by field basis, ripped, where necessary, and stones and debris would be removed prior to topsoil replacement. After replacement, the topsoil would be stone picked and cultivated, as necessary. The general trenching method would be modified for road, river, drainage ditch, service, rail and utility crossings. Crossings in these cases would be either open cut (trenched) or trenchless. The crossing methods are described in detail in my assessment. On completion of pipeline construction, the pipeline would be cleaned and internally checked using Pipeline Integrity Gauges (PIGs). Following pigging, the pipeline would be tested for fitness for purpose. This would be a hydrostatic test in accordance with IS328:2003. Sections of the pipeline would be filled with water, pressurised and held at pressure for a given period. 14,000 cubic metres of water would be required for this purpose and, assuming ten test sections, 1,400 cubic metres would be required for each section. Water would be supplied by water tanker, from the local watermain or abstracted from a river which is not a designated cSAC. Following completion of hydrostatic testing and the discharge of test water, the test sections would be swabbed to remove residual water using specially designed PIGs propelled by compressed air. The separate test sections would then be welded together for a complete length pipeline. The pipeline would then be dried out using super dry air, vacuum drying or other means.

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