The creation of a 138km North-South electricity interconnector moved a step closeron Tuesday when the North’s Department of Infrastructure granted full planning permission for the project. Planning permission had already been granted in the State and it is expected that work will begin later this year on the connector, which is expected to cost about £200 million (€228 million) and will run from Meath to Tyrone. The cross-Border interconnector is a joint project between the system operator for Northern Ireland (SONI) and EirGrid, which said the development would deliver “very real benefits to domestic and commercial consumers across the country”. The Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomed the decision. “Businesses and employers need access to electricity in the most cost-efficient manner possible, and the interconnector is key to achieving this,” said chamber president Ellvena Graham.

Source: The Irish Times January 23, 2018 15:00 UTC