REPORT FOR THE INDEPENDENT EXPERT PANEL PROJECT: Grid West Project CLIENT: EirGrid PLC The Oval 160 Shelbourne Road Ballsbridge Dublin 4 COMPANY: TOBIN Consulting Engineers Block 10-4 Blanchardstown Corporate Park Dublin 15 www.tobin.ie Grid West Report for the Independent Expert Panel Page (i) Grid West Report for the Independent Expert Panel TABLE OF CONTENTS REPORT FOR THE INDEPENDENT EXPERT PANEL...................................................................................................... 0 TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................................................................................... II TABLES & FIGURES ........................................................................................................................................................ VI TABLES ............................................................................................................................................................................. VI FIGURES .......................................................................................................................................................................... VII 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 EIRGRID’S ROLE ............................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 ENERGY POLICY .............................................................................................................................................. 1 1.3 THE GRID WEST PROJECT ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.4 THE INDEPENDENT EXPERT PANEL .............................................................................................................. 2 1.5 SCOPE OF THIS REPORT ................................................................................................................................ 2 1.6 PROJECT DEVELOPMENT TO DATE .............................................................................................................. 3 1.7 TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS ................................................................................................................................. 3 1.8 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................................................... 4 2. SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 PROJECT NEED ................................................................................................................................................ 6 2.2 TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS ................................................................................................................................. 6 2.3 ROUTE SELECTION .......................................................................................................................................... 7 2.3.1 Identifying a Preferred Underground Cable Option......................................................................................... 8 2.3.2 Identifying a 400kV HVAC OHL Option .......................................................................................................... 9 2.3.3 Identifying a 220kV HVAC OHL and Partial Underground (PUG) Option ..................................................... 11 2.4 SUMMARY OF OPTIONS ................................................................................................................................ 14 2.5 NEXT STEPS ................................................................................................................................................... 14 3. GRID WEST PROJECT NEED ........................................................................................................................... 15 3.1 THE NEED FOR GRID DEVELOPMENT ......................................................................................................... 15 3.2 FUTURE NEEDS .............................................................................................................................................. 17 3.3 MEETING THE NEED ...................................................................................................................................... 17 3.4 SUMMARY OF NEED ...................................................................................................................................... 19 4. TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS FOR THE GRID WEST PROJECT .......................................................................... 20 4.1 FACTORS AFFECTING APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY SELECTION .......................................................... 20 4.2 NATIONAL, EUROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE ........................................................................ 20 4.2.1 Transmission Network Development ............................................................................................................ 20 4.2.2 Technologies in Use ..................................................................................................................................... 21 4.2.3 Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF) .............................................................................................................. 22 4.3 GRID WEST TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS .......................................................................................................... 22 4.3.1 Technology Studies Undertaken for the Grid West Project .......................................................................... 22 4.3.2 Technology Selection for the Grid West Project ........................................................................................... 23 4.3.3 UGC Technology Option for Grid West ........................................................................................................ 24 4.3.4 OHL Technology Options for Grid West ....................................................................................................... 26 Page (ii) Grid West Report for the Independent Expert Panel 4.4 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................................................. 29 5. HVDC UNDERGROUND CABLE OPTION ........................................................................................................ 30 5.1 DESCRIPTION OF OPTION ............................................................................................................................ 30 5.2 HVDC UGC – INDICATIVE ROUTE ................................................................................................................. 31 5.3 ASSESSMENTS UNDERTAKEN TO DATE ..................................................................................................... 31 5.4 IDENTIFICATION OF PREFERRED UGC ROUTE OPTION ........................................................................... 32 5.5 HVDC CONVERTER STATION LOCATIONS .................................................................................................. 33 5.6 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS ........................................................................................................................ 36 5.6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 36 5.6.2 Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna ....................................................................................................................... 38 5.6.3 Water ............................................................................................................................................................ 48 5.6.4 Soils and Geology ........................................................................................................................................ 54 5.6.5 Landscape/Visual ......................................................................................................................................... 57 5.6.6 Cultural Heritage........................................................................................................................................... 64 5.6.7 Settlement/Communities .............................................................................................................................. 69 5.6.8 Air Quality ..................................................................................................................................................... 71 5.6.9 Climatic Factors ............................................................................................................................................ 76 5.6.10 Material Assets ............................................................................................................................................. 77 5.6.11 Recreation and Tourism ............................................................................................................................... 84 5.6.12 Traffic ........................................................................................................................................................... 85 5.6.13