18 June 2019
Latest round of exhibitions in Pembrokeshire week commencing 24th June
Presentation of latest plans including the marine licence application prior to formal consultation
As part of the continuing public consultation on the proposed Greenlink Interconnector, which will connect the electricity grids of Great Britain and Ireland, details have been announced of a third round of public exhibitions in Pembrokeshire, Wales, next week (24- 27th June).
Greenlink is one of Europe’s most important energy infrastructure projects and brings benefits on both sides of the Irish Sea for energy security, jobs and the cost-effective integration of low carbon energy. The privately-financed project is being developed by Greenlink Interconnector Limited and is planned for commissioning in 2023
Details of the exhibitions are as follows:
Pembroke: 24th June, 2pm to 8pm - Pembroke Town Hall, Main St, Pembroke SA71 4JS
Angle: 25th June, 2pm to 8pm - Angle Village Hall, Angle, Pembroke SA71 5AS
Pembroke Dock: 26th June, 2pm to 8pm - Pater Hall, Dimond St, Pembroke Dock SA72 6DD
Hundleton: 27th June, 4pm to 8pm - Sports Pavilion, Hundleton, Pembroke
In Pembrokeshire the interconnector comprises a subsea cable intended to come ashore under the beach and dunes at Freshwater West and continuing underground to a converter station located near to the existing Pembroke substation. Subsea survey work has been completed, procurement for the major construction contracts is under way, and all onshore and marine planning applications will be submitted by the end of 2019. The project is expected to have a three-year construction programme, offering local supply chain opportunities.
The Marine Licence Application has recently been submitted to Natural Resources Wales for validation. Once validated, there will be an announcement on a formal process of consultation, whereby stakeholders can comment on the application.
Tom Brinicombe, planning & permitting consultant for Greenlink in Wales, said;
“We are keen to continue to seek input from local residents and other stakeholders as we move into the final development stage prior to submitting the onshore planning application. To date we have received valuable feedback from local stakeholders which we have incorporated into our development work and believe will result in a high quality planning submission.
“I am pleased to confirm that we have now submitted our Marine Licence Application to Natural Resources Wales for validation, after which there will be a formal process of consultation, starting in around four weeks’ time. We will ensure this is advertised locally.
“I would like to reaffirm our commitment to minimise any impact on the beach and dunes at Freshwater West and can confirm that the Marine Licence Application does not include any requirement for construction work on the beach or in the dunes. The cables will be installed by drilling the cables under the beach and dunes therefore minimising any impact on the environment and beach users. We will also be targeting installation to take place away from the summer months.
“We encourage everyone with an interest in the project to come along to the exhibitions. As always, we are also keen to hear from local businesses that wish to be involved in the project - from civil engineering firms to local bed and breakfasts. Greenlink has the potential to bring significant regional investment and we want to optimise the economic benefits for the area.”
CONTACTS FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Anna Stanford, Communications Consultant: M: +44 7961 234634 Anna.Stanford@greenlink.ie
Tom Brinicombe, Planning & Permitting Consultant for Greenlink in Wales: +44 07814 169380 Tom.Brinicombe@greenlink.ie
Notes to Editors:
Greenlink is a proposed interconnector linking the power markets in Ireland and Great Britain. The project comprises a subsea and underground cable and associated converter stations to connect EirGrid’s Great Island transmission substation in County Wexford (Ireland) and National Grid’s Pembroke transmission substation in Pembrokeshire (Wales). It has a nominal capacity of 500MW. The project is being developed by Greenlink Interconnector Limited and is expected to be fully operational in 2023. More details at: www.greenlink.ie @Greenlink_IC
Constructing and commissioning an interconnector requires the completion of a thorough programme of environmental and technical assessment to ensure that the final interconnector design fully considers the environment in which it is built. Following public consultation and environmental impact assessment, a planning application is scheduled to be submitted to Pembrokeshire County Council later this year with construction due to commence in 2020. The project is due to be commissioned in 2023.