EIRGRID AND ESB WILL USE “STATUTORY POWERS” TO BUILD NORTH SOUTH INTERCONNECTOR IF ACCESS TO LANDS NOT FORTHCOMING

Peter Hughes

The ESB will seek to enforce statutory powers of access under the Electricity (Supply) Act in order to constru ct the North South electricity interconnector in cases where landowners do not give permission for entrance onto their property, EirGrid’s Chief Executive Mark Foley has told the members of Monaghan County Council. In correspondence to the Council circulated at the local authority’s monthly meeting on Monday, Mr Foley supplied answers to a number of questions put to him by the members of the Council in relation to aspects of the interconnector project.

One of the questions was: “How is it proposed to construct the north -south interconnector and develop new accesses onto private lands where no consent exists and given how strong property rights are in this country?” Mr Foley replied as follows: “EirGrid shall agree access arrangements with individual landowners and ESB shall place the electric line on and across their lands in accordance with its statutory rights and powers under Section 53 of the Electricity (Supply) Act 1927 as amend ed (Section 53).

The exercise by ESB of its rights and powers under Section 53 is subject to a landowner ’s statutory entitlement to compensation .” “In the event that access arrangements cannot be agreed and access is not forthcoming, the n in order to construct the line and associated structures, and only where necessary, ESB shall seek to enforce its statutory powers of access under Section 53.”

The Co. Council al so aske d: “Approximately what percentage of affected landowners in Co Monaghan or in the other affected counties has EirGrid established a good working relationship with and are content with the proposed pylon-support ed 400kV line to pass through their property?” Mr Foley replied: “EirGrid and SONI in Northern Ireland have been engaging with landowners and communities along the route of the north-south interconnector for several years. Three project information offices were opened in close proximity to the route in the key towns of Armagh…