EirGrid has announced plans this week to lodge a planning application to the Mayo County Council for the uprate of the existing 110kV overhead line between Bellacorick and Castlebar (part two ) today, Friday August 8. The Bellacorick to Castlebar 110kv line is approximately 37km in length and is primarily supported by single circuit wood poles with steel angle towers. In 2013 part one of the uprate was completed, comprising approximately 17km extending out of the Castlebar substation.
The application that is due to be lodged today refers to the remaining uprate works on the 19.5km line between Bellacorick and Castlebar and extends to the Bellacorick substation. Eirgrid published their statutory planning notices in local and national press on Tuesday August 5.
EirGrid stated this week that normally line uprates are treated as exempted development but the remaining section of the Bellacorick- Castlebar line uprate works (part two ) requires planning permission because a significant portion of the circuit is located within a Natura 2000 site, the Bellacorick Bog Complex Special Area of Conservation. Screening for Appropriate Assessment (Stage 1AA ) was carried out for the proposed works and it concluded that significant impacts cannot be ruled out. EirGrid also pointed out that these works do not form part of the Grid West project.
