19 April 2021 - Greenlink Interconnector Limited is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul O’Rourke to the position of Construction Director. Paul will lead the delivery of the project’s construction activities. He joins Greenlink at a critical time as the project progresses towards the finalisation of permits enabling it to be “shovel ready” in the second half of 2021.
Paul joins the company from Saudi Aramco where he led asset management activities for more than 2000km of critical submarine cables interconnecting offshore production facilities. He spent five years with EirGrid - initially as the Marine Project Manager during development of the East West Interconnector (EWIC) and subsequently as the Project Director, taking EWIC through to completion.
Paul previously held the role of Electrical Project Engineer with Siemens having completed the Siemens’ UK Graduate Development Program. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering from University College Dublin and a Master's Degree in Engineering from Dublin Institute of Technology (now TU Dublin).
Greenlink is a proposed subsea and underground electricity interconnector cable of approximately 190km which will connect the grids in Ireland and the UK. The Greenlink interconnector has a nominal capacity of 500 megawatts, equivalent to powering 380,000 homes.
Costing approximately €450million to develop, it will provide a new grid connection between the existing Great Island substation in County Wexford and the UK National Grid’s Pembroke substation in south Wales allowing power to flow in either direction depending on supply and demand in each country.
“In addition to the 250 jobs which will be created during construction, there are a swathe of benefits which interconnection brings including improved energy security, regional investment and competitive energy costs for consumers, as well as facilitating the integration of low carbon renewable energy sources. Pending planning approval, it is our intention to have this project built by the end of 2023. Paul’s appointment is a very timely and welcome boost to help us realise that ambition,” said Greenlink CEO, Nigel Beresford.
“Greenlink is a critical piece of national infrastructure which will greatly support the Irish Government’s Climate Action Plan for decarbonising the energy system. Its development and delivery will, I believe be a catalyst for further transition from fossil fuels, not just for the South East but obviously, the entire island,” said Greenlink board member and Director, Pádraig McManus.
CONTACTS FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Ireland: Seán Perry, 087 9105013
UK: Anna Stanford, Communications Adviser: +44 7961 234634 Anna.Stanford@greenlink.ie