Wexford interconnector works are expected to be completed next year

Greenlink will cease all road works laying of cables for the €500m interconnector between Ireland and Wales during the busy summer season in coastal south west Wexford, a company spokesperson has confirmed.

Gary Nolan said the works stretch along 23kms of the roads of south west Wexford, with 8.5kms of cabling completed since September. He said 3kms of cables are through agricultural land.

“We are mobilising at Baginbun Beach,” he said, adding that horizontal drilling under the cliff at Baginbun Beach will take place. 

This 800m job is due to happen over the coming weeks, with the overall completion of works expected for next March.

Work on the converter station at Great Island began in January 2022, with landscaping works being finalised on site.

“All of the large concrete pours are completed and we’ve started into steel erection and cladding. We are on target to go into testing in the second quarter of 2024.”
He said Greenlink recognises that there has been temporary disruption to residents, adding that it is important that the company gives more back, including in Ramsgrange where the company will invest in new footpaths and lighting, in conjunction with funding sourced for a safe schools programme.

He said Greenlink has spent money on the new car park at Baginbun, along with supporting the St Louis centre in Ramsgrange and the RNLI through the Hooked on Swimming group.

“We are very much focussed on the people who live along the route where the cable goes. We do need to communicate a lot more widely as some people live near the works and don’t understand what’s going to be constructed.”

Cllr John Fleming said the council has gotten very good cooperation from Greenlink, while Cllr Michael Whelan said communication has been good from the start.

He urged Greenlink not to work on the roads along coastal south west Wexford during the peak tourist summer months.

Mr Nolan said the company will ensure the roads are kept open at weekends up until July when all road works will cease until September.

“We are hoping to have most of the ducting work completed by the end of June, then we’ll do the boxes work. We’ve tried to move them off the road as we’ve done in Ramsgrange village.”

Cllr Whelan complimented Greenlink for the community benefit works they did at Great Island for residents.

Mr Nolan said the works at Baginbun will see two boreholes drilled going below the cliff 10 metres below the beach, coming out at between 500m and 600 metres at sea.

“We will also be drilling under the Campile river.”

In response to a question from Cllr Pat Barden, Mr Nolan said the total length of the works will be 23kms from Great Island to Baginbun. He said Siemens Energy are building the converter station which will be owned and operated by Greenlink.

He said the company’s profits from the distribution of power will be capped.

Cllr Bridín Murphy said: “The community contribution is hugely important,” adding that the works in Ramsgrange are vitally important.

She said she was aware that agricultural lands that were previously dug up may have to be dug up again for new cables to be laid, asking for clarity.

Mr Nolan said Greenlink has prioritised Ramsgrange as a place it wants to get works completed quickly.

He said ducting of the agricultural fields was the first piece of work Greenlink did. “We did have some problems with the ducting that is there so there will be a section that more than likely would have to be replaced. We will do a prior investigation to try to minimise that as much as we can.”

​