Pylon study consultants appointment dismays group

THE group campaigning against the proposed EirGrid power lines across Meath, the North-East Pylon Pressure campaign (NEPP), has expressed extreme disappointment at the choice of consultants to carry out a study into the electricity transmission structure. NEPP has also strongly criticised the restrictive nature of the study announced by the Minister for Energy and Communications, Eamon Ryan.

The campaign was responding to weekend media reports of the appointment of a Dutch consultancy, Ecofys, and a Canadian engineering company,

Golder Associates, who are charged with looking at the implication of both underground and overhead power lines.

Bective farmer Francis Lally, the chairman of NEPP, claimed that neither of these companies had any experience in the turnkey construction of either underground electricity cables or overhead transmission lines.

"Given the ridiculously short time of 40 days allowed to read and absorb all 500 submissions received by the minister, to research the issue, to meet with interest groups and stakeholders and to produce a comprehensive comparative costed study, we cannot see how these companies can produce a report that could be in any way authoritative," Mr Lally claimed.

In relation to the appointment of Ecofys, NEPP pointed out that this company had acted as consultants on a section of the All-Island Grid Study recently completed for the minister's department. "Given the study's recommendations on high power lines, it could be perceived that Ecofys's independence is compromised and that there is a prima facie conflict of interest for them," Mr Lally said. In response, the Department of the Environment says that turnkey construction companies would not be employed to carry out such a study, as they obviously would have vested interests in all elements of the construction of lines or cables.

The consultants employed will look at policy issues and Ecofys is employing a German expert who has undergrounding expertise to work with them on the po>-, ject. '•'''

The spokesperson added that Ecofys is not compromised because of its work on the All-Mand Gtid Study, as it did not make recommendations, simply put forward a number of scenarios which the minister then had to choose from.

In relation to the timescale, the Department added that the minister was keen to get moving on the issue to have it resolved as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Jackie Cahill, president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA), has confirmed that his association will be demanding

that the power line be constructed underground and that full compensation, cognisant of the most up-to-date valuation, be paid to the farmer landowners.

At a meeting held in the Headfort Arms Hotel in Kells last week, the ICMSA executives of Cavan, Meath and Monaghan decided that the association would be demanding that this piece of infrastructure be constructed underground and that full compensation be paid. Mr Cahill claimed that a campaign of misinformation was being waged by certain politicians and other parties to the effect that, should the line be constructed underground, that no compensation would be paid to the farmer-landowners,

"This is a totally ludicrous opinion," he said.

"Landowners affected would have to be fully compensated for providing a permanent way-leave through their lands and for disturbance caused during the construction phase," he said.

He said the ICMSA will also be advocating that a goodwill payment be put forward to help speed up the construction of this installation.

John Donohoe
Meath Chronicle