The Kildare-Meath Grid Upgrade project team has selected a single 400 kilovolt (kV) underground cable as the best-performing option from a shortlist of overhead and underground technologies that were put forward for public consultation last year.

Over the coming months, the project team will develop route options, continue extensive engagement with community, landowner and stakeholders and seek feedback on  these options. It is anticipated this round of consultation will take place from September for a 12- week period.

Please a find a link below to a update brochure on the project. The Study Area is included on page 8:

Brochure – Kildare Meath Upgrade update April 2021 – pdf

We are preparing to set up a Kildare Meath Grid Upgrade Community Forum.

The forum will act as a consultative body throughout the development of the project. It will offer advice on key project development such as:

• How we communicate and engage with the public
• What we need to consider when developing route options.
• How we can deliver meaningful community benefit to the area where our infrastructure is hosted. (please refer to page 9 of brochure re Community Benefit Scheme)

We will be holding an information evening on the Kildare Meath Grid Upgrade Community Forum at 7pm on June 10th 2021.

Please find a link below to register:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqcuiqrDIoGd3xIcto-9wSo-F2b849dAYI

Kind regards,

Gráinne Duffy

EirGrid Community Liaison Officer

Tel: 085 887 4798

Email:kildaremeath@eirgrid.com 

Keep up to date: www.eirgrid.ie/KildareMeath

Kildare Meath Grid Upgrade Community Forum

Purpose

• The purpose of the forum is to ensure that stakeholder and community views are understood and properly considered prior to and during project delivery. The group will provide a forum for dialogue between stakeholders with interests in the project and the project team

Role of the group

• The Community Forum serves to bring together key stakeholders in the community to:
• Represent the views of their organisation or community in relation to the project and its proposals;
• Consider the project and provide guidance on local needs and priorities;
• Assist in enabling the resolution of local issues resulting from the project in a timely manner.
• Support the project team in identifying local sources of information and analysis, strategies and proposals which may impact on, or need to be taken account of during project delivery;
• Provide feedback at key stages in the delivery of the project
• Facilitate a ‘local voice’ and communicate information to a wider group of regional and local stakeholders.
• The forum is not a formal decision-making body. The views of members will be recorded and the Chair will ensure that they have been taken into account.

Membership

• There will be up to 15 seats allocated to representatives of non-profit organisations within the vicinity of the project. This means within the study area.
• Non-profit organisations means community organisations, local resident and community associations, disability and special interest groups, activity based and sporting organisations and more.
• Organisations must be registered with the PPN or have submitted a registration form to their local PPN. Exceptions to this will be determined on a case by case basis by the Chair.
• To maintain a practical level of participation, an organisation can only submit a nomination for one seat– 1 Group, 1 Representative.
• Organisation may wish to rotate/substitute their representatives as the forum progresses.

Community Seat Allocation

• Each area (area defined as village, town or community association representing a geographical community along the route) will be entitled to at least one community seat. This provides a voice for each local area.
• Once each area has one representative, any remaining seats of the 15 will be redistributed proportionally based on a balance of proximity, interest and population

For information on the the project please visit www.eirgrid.ie/KildareMeath