Capital Project 966 CP 966 Strategic Social Impact Assessment Scoping Report May 2020 EirGrid CP 966 Strategic Social Impact Assessment Scopi ng Report CP 966 Strategic Social Impact Assessment Scoping Report CP966 Project No: 32108AE Document Title: CP 966 Strategic Social Impact Assessment Scoping Report Document No.: 32108AE-REP-003 Revision: Consultation Draft Document Status: Draft Date: May 2020 Client Name: EirGrid Client No: Project Manager: Fay Lagan Author: Grainne Quinn/Lyndsey McGonigle File Name: Jacobs Consultancy Ltd. 2nd Floor 28 Adelaide Street Belfast BT2 8GD 028 9032 4452 www.jacobs.com © Copyright 2020 Jacobs Consultancy Ltd.. The concepts and information contained in this document are the property of Jacobs. Use or copying of this document in whole or in part without the written permission of Jacobs constitutes an infringement of copyright. 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Document history and status Revision Date Description Author Checked Reviewed Approved Draft 17.04.2020 Draft for Final Review LMG HC HC FL Final Draft 04.05.2020 Final Draft for Consultation LMG HC HC FL i CP 966 Strategic Social Impact Assessment Scoping Report Contents Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................... iii Overview of the Project SAOI .......................................................................................................................... v Stakeholders and Engagement for CP 966 ................................................................................................... vii Summary of Assessments of Technological Solutions .................................................................................. vii 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 What is Capital Project 966? .............................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Framework for Grid Development Explained ..................................................................................... 1 1.3 Aims and Contents of the Strategic Social Impact Scoping Report ................................................... 2 1.4 Social Multi-Criteria Assessment ........................................................................................................ 2 1.5 Relationship to Other Technical Reports ............................................................................................ 3 1.6 Social Impact Assessment Methodology ............................................................................................ 4 2. The Project ........................................................................................................................................ 7 2.2 Study Areas ........................................................................................................................................ 7 3. Social Impacts .................................................................................................................................. 9 3.1 Potential Social Impacts ..................................................................................................................... 9 3.2 Review of Step 2 Baseline ................................................................................................................. 9 3.3 Assessment Topics .......................................................................................................................... 10 4. Stakeholder Review ........................................................................................................................ 16 4.1 EirGrid Stakeholder Engagement Plan ............................................................................................ 16 4.2 Stakeholders and Engagement for CP 966 ...................................................................................... 18 5. Social Area of Influence – Baseline .............................................................................................. 21 5.1 Step 2 SAOI Summary ..................................................................................................................... 21 5.2 Revised Social Area of Influence: Step 3 SAOI ............................................................................... 22 6. Technology 1: Up-voltage existing 220kV circuits to 400kV circuit .......................................... 29 6.1 Overview of Technology 1 ................................................................................................................ 29 6.2 Technology 1 SAOI .......................................................................................................................... 32 6.3 Assumptions and Limitations ............................................................................................................ 34 6.4 Potential Social Impacts ................................................................................................................... 34 6.5 Key Social Issues and Evaluation of Technology 1 ......................................................................... 43 6.6 Summary Social Multi-Criteria Assessment for Technology 1 ......................................................... 45 7. Technology 2: New 400kV OHL ..................................................................................................... 46 7.1 Overview of Technology 2 ................................................................................................................ 46 7.2 Technology 2 SAOI .......................................................................................................................... 46 7.3 Assumptions and Limitations ............................................................................................................ 48 7.4 Potential Social Impacts ................................................................................................................... 48 7.5 Key Social Issues and Evaluation of Technology 2 ......................................................................... 57 8. Technology 3: Underground Cable .............................................................................................. 59 8.2 Technology 3 Study Area and SAOI ................................................................................................ 60 8.3 Assumptions and Limitations ............................................................................................................ 60 8.4 Potential Social Impacts ................................................................................................................... 61 8.5 Key Social Issues and Evaluation Of Technology 3 ......................................................................... 70 ii CP 966 Strategic Social Impact Assessment Scoping Report 9. Summary of Technologies Evaluation ......................................................................................... 72 9.1 Summary of Assessments of Technological Solutions .................................................................... 72 Appendix A. Map Appendix B. Receptors by Settlement Type Appendix C. Additional Information iii CP 966 Strategic Social Impact Assessment Scoping Report Abbreviations ACA Architectural Conservation Areas AAP Areas of Archaeological Potential AEOS Agri Environmental Options Scheme AIS Air insulated ASI Archaeological Survey of Ireland CAFE Cleaner Air for Europe CFRAM Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management CPD County Development Plan CSO Central Statistics Office EHV Extra High Voltage EMF Electromagnetic fields EPA Environmental Protection Agency GIS Geographic Information System GSI Geological Survey Ireland HDD Horizontal Directional Drilling IGHS Irish Geological Heritage Sites i-WeBS Irish Wetland Bird Survey LCA Landscape Character Area MCA Multi-Criteria Analysis NIAH National Inventory of Architectural Heritage NHA/ pNHA Natural Heritage Area/ Proposed Natural Heritage Area NPWS National Parks and Wildlife Services i CP 966 Strategic Social Impact Assessment Scoping Report Abbreviations OHL OHL OPW Office of Public Works PWS Public Water Supply RMP Record of Monuments and Places RPS Records of Protected Structures RBMP River Basin Management Plan SAC Special Area of Conservation, designated under the EU Habitats Directive SI Statutory Instrument SAOI Social Area of Influence SMR Sites and Monuments Record SPA Special Protection Area, designated under the EU Birds Directive TPC Total Project Cost TSO Transmission System Operator TSSPS Transmission System Security and Planning Standards UGC Underground cable WFD Water Framework Directive XLPE Cross-linked polyethylene ii CP 966 Strategic Social Impact Assessment Scoping Report Executive Summary Capital Project 966 (CP 966) is a proposed development that will help transfer electricity to the east of the country and distribute it within the network in Meath, Kildare and Dublin. The project will help meet the growing demand for electricity in the east. This growth is due to increased economic