French Mayors tour Celtic Interconnector route in east Cork as construction continues on major infrastructure project

EirGrid, the operator and developer of Ireland’s electricity grid and its French equivalent, Réseau de Transport d’Electricité (RTE), recently welcomed a political delegation from northwest France, marking a significant moment in Irish French relations.

The mayors, representing various French communes through which the Celtic Interconnector project runs through in France, gained an in-depth look into various aspects of the project in Ireland, including a cable route drive, a tour of the converter station site, and a visit to the landfall point at Claycastle Beach, Youghal.

The Celtic Interconnector is a major strategic infrastructure project that will enable the exchange of 700 MW of electricity between Ireland and France. It will move this electricity across a distance of 575km, with 500km of the cable running under the sea, becoming the first interconnector between Ireland and continental Europe.

In addition to the technical aspects of the project, the mayors engaged with east Cork community representatives, participating in a community conversation regarding EirGrid and RTE’s approach in transitioning the electricity grid and what that means for communities.

Speaking of the visit, EirGrid’s head of public engagement, Sinead Dooley said: “This visit aimed to deepen ties with our French neighbours, exchange knowledge and promote best practices in community engagement.

The tour was a unique opportunity to highlight not only the technical achievements of the project so far, but also the strong spirit of partnership that has supported its progress.

Dooley added, “We look forward to continuing to foster meaningful conversations about the central role communities play in the successful delivery of major projects such as this.”

On behalf of RTE, Rémi Courtial said: “ Alongside our colleagues at EirGrid, we were delighted to host the mayors of the French Finistère municipalities affected by the underground cable route of the Celtic Interconnector, a tour of the construction site in Ireland and the opportunity to have a valuable exchange with their Irish community counterparts. In addition to its critical role in the energy landscape, the Celtic Interconnector is a project that serves to link our Celtic communities, strengthening ties between Brittany and Cork.’’

Construction commenced on the project in 2023 and is continuing apace in both Ireland and France.