EIRGRID'S environmental destruction of Co Waterford.

comeraghs

EIRGRID info day today Monday Sept 30th in The Granville Hotel until 8pm. Please try & get in there & tell them that the only route they will get away with is Underground. NO PYLONS!

It's vital that as many people as possible get down & tell Eirgrid that they need to relook at their plans to use pylons & that underground is the only option that is acceptable.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/No-Eirgrid-Pylons-Go-Underground/219856181511250?ref=hl

comeraghs

http://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/travel/weekendbreak/going-wild-in-wondrous-west-waterford-hills-242876.html


Isn't this worth saving?

wellboytoo

Looked at the FB page I can't see a map of where they are running the line exactly? is there a route shown other than the general all Ireland map?

comeraghs

https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode&q=https%3A%2F%2Fmaps.google.com%2Fmaps%2Fms%3Fmsid%3D207891274022173434914.0004e518df8048b4e31bd%26authuser%3D0%26msa%3D0%26vps%3D2%26hl%3Den%26ie%3DUTF8%26output%3Dkml&aq&sll=52.621024%2C-7.342676&sspn=1.544039%2C3.911133&ie=UTF8&ll=52.619725%2C-7.34436&spn=1.246723%2C1.826525&t=m

wellboytoo

comeraghs wrote: »

https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode&q=https%3A%2F%2Fmaps.google.com%2Fmaps%2Fms%3Fmsid%3D207891274022173434914.0004e518df8048b4e31bd%26authuser%3D0%26msa%3D0%26vps%3D2%26hl%3Den%26ie%3DUTF8%26output%3Dkml&aq&sll=52.621024%2C-7.342676&sspn=1.544039%2C3.911133&ie=UTF8&ll=52.619725%2C-7.34436&spn=1.246723%2C1.826525&t=m

No joy just hows a google map nothing marked.

comeraghs

https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode&q=https%3A%2F%2Fmaps.google.com%2Fmaps%2Fms%3Fmsid%3D207891274022173434914.0004e518df8048b4e31bd%26authuser%3D0%26msa%3D0%26vps%3D2%26hl%3Den%26ie%3DUTF8%26output%3Dkml&aq&sll=52.621024%2C-7.342676&sspn=1.544039%2C3.911133&ie=UTF8&ll=52.619725%2C-7.34436&spn=1.246723%2C1.826525&t=m

comeraghs

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=207891274022173434914.0004e518df8048b4e31bd&authuser=0&msa=0&vps=2&hl=en&ie=UTF8&output=kml


Any better? It's on the one I'm pasting.

comeraghs

Or try this page.

https://www.facebook.com/co.waterfordnopylons

Poor Uncle Tom

comeraghs wrote: »

http://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/travel/weekendbreak/going-wild-in-wondrous-west-waterford-hills-242876.html


Isn't this worth saving?

So Eirgrid propose to get rid of Coumshingaun?

comeraghs

They plan on ruining the area around it with 150 foot tall pylons & threaten the tourism potential of The Comeraghs.

Poor Uncle Tom

comeraghs wrote: »

They plan on ruining the area around it with 150 foot tall pylons & threaten the tourism potential of The Comeraghs.

The proposed route hasn't been chosen yet. By the way I'm not in favour of this at all, I'm just pointing out that you can loose more support than you gain by throwing out scare statements that have very little foundation.

garv123

comeraghs wrote: »

They plan on ruining the area around it with 150 foot tall pylons & threaten the tourism potential of The Comeraghs.

150 foot?

taytobreath

Where are they erecting the pylons in relation to Coumshingaun. Will you see them from the lake and the road where one can view the lake from?

comeraghs

Yes. 150 feet. 45 meters


http://www.eirgridprojects.com/

comeraghs

http://www.eirgridprojects.com/projects/gridlink/overview/

Poor Uncle Tom

From the maps on that link the closest route to Coumshingaun is the same distance below the Lemybrien/Carrick road as the lake is above it.

However, if that route is chosen I will be opposing it. I don't believe there is a need for this particular network as the option of upgrading the existing system is not being explored which highlights a much different purpose for this proposed network.

I saw it advertised that there's a public meeting about this at the community hall in Kilrossanty at 8.30pm tonight, (in an hour, I might make the end of the meeting)

DeiseforLiam

Poor Uncle Tom wrote: »

From the maps on that link the closest route to Coumshingaun is the same distance below the Lemybrien/Carrick road as the lake is above it.

However, if that route is chosen I will be opposing it. I don't believe there is a need for this particular network as the option of upgrading the existing system is not being explored which highlights a much different purpose for this proposed network.

I saw it advertised that there's a public meeting about this at the community hall in Kilrossanty at 8.30pm tonight, (in an hour, I might make the end of the meeting)

Your time would be better spent opposing that route now rather than after it is chosen. Unlikely that any opposition by you would carry much weight if you didn't bother to object before a decision was made.

Poor Uncle Tom

MetalMan9 wrote: »

Your time would be better spent opposing that route now rather than after it is chosen.

Very silly statement given that there is no format to object to any route which hasn't been chosen, apart from rent-a-mob signatures which are generally treated with utter contempt.

If the stakeholders put their cards on the table and make an application for planning permission for a specific route or prepare and submit an EIS for a chosen route, then there are established formats for making your opposition known and making your voice heard and count.

Until then you are only shouting at the wind, literally.

DeiseforLiam

Yes, rent-a-mob signatures are pretty meaningless but a reasoned submission, outlining why a particular corridor (or section thereof) is unsuitable, will be taken into account. Of course, if you can't be bothered, that's another thing, just don't say there's no way to make a submission now.

Poor Uncle Tom

MetalMan9 wrote: »

Yes, rent-a-mob signatures are pretty meaningless but a reasoned submission, outlining why a particular corridor (or section thereof) is unsuitable, will be taken into account. Of course, if you can't be bothered, that's another thing, just don't say there's no way to make a submission now.

Really?

Maybe I'm just a cynic but I choose to believe that 'a corporate business interest' will only take account of any independent submission when it is directed to do so by the bodies empowered to direct them, whether that is the relevant Local Authority, An Bord Pleanala, or the Courts System. However approaching the front runners of a multinational enterprise with a 'please sir...' attitude approaches lunacy in my opinion, expecting that approach to obtain the desired results is nothing short of deluded.

If and when I choose to make my opinions, submissions, observations or objections known, I will do so at the appropriate time and place as to get the maximum desired outcome and to affect as much of a change as I possibly can hope to get.

I hope you understand that there is a strategy to this process and that the game is already afoot in the eyes of your opponent.

DeiseforLiam

Go with the adversarial (they're all agin me) approach then. I've always found that it is better to engage with the process. Good luck.

Poor Uncle Tom

MetalMan9 wrote: »

Go with the adversarial (they're all agin me) approach then. I've always found that it is better to engage with the process. Good luck.

Arming your opponent with all of your information before they formally structure their proposal is like playing your hand of cards after showing your opponent what you are holding and still expecting a fair or favourable outcome.

I do believe that a measured response to the 'public information meetings' is warranted I just don't believe there will be any significant alterations to this companies proposals, because we don't know their full proposals.

And, good luck to you on your chosen route of opposition, just to say that eventhough we may not agree with one another we both oppose the same 'corporate enterprise'.....;)

DeiseforLiam

I was just making an observation based on personal experience. I'm not objecting to it.

Poor Uncle Tom

MetalMan9 wrote: »

I was just making an observation based on personal experience. I'm not objecting to it.

:D:D

The first time I've seen the expression "an empty vessel makes most noise" demonstrated so well.....:D

DeiseforLiam

Sorry, I thought it was a discussion forum. Didn't realise we all had to be singing from the same hymn sheet.

loremolis

MetalMan9 wrote: »

Yes, rent-a-mob signatures are pretty meaningless but a reasoned submission, outlining why a particular corridor (or section thereof) is unsuitable, will be taken into account. Of course, if you can't be bothered, that's another thing, just don't say there's no way to make a submission now.

Eirgrid's analysis of submissions is to find the corridor of least resistance.

While the corridor may well be decided upon well before the 'options' are made Eirgrid must give the public the perception that there is participation and by making submissions the perception is that they have been considered.

Eirgrid are famous for refusing to answer questions they don't like.

comeraghs

SEND AN EMAIL TO gridline@eirgrid.com or send this to them if you are opposed to this destruction.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=211668622337831&set=a.210348085803218.1073741828.210190362485657&type=1&theater

wellboytoo

If ever a thread warranted the use of emoticons this must be it!

freedominacup

Eirgrid are following the time honoured tradition of infrastructure planning in this country with this one. Show 3-4 options let all of the dissenting voices be heard, allow local politicians be heard, listen to thunder and let lightening pass and simply go with the route most favoured by the company/institution/state body. This gives local politicians the chance to tell 75% of those who believed they were going to be affected about the great job they did protecting the voters area from destruction. The 25% affected are going to be so pi$$ed off by what has happened that they are going to go with the protest candidate anyway come next election so aren't worth worrying over.

mr jack

comeraghs wrote: »

if you are opposed to this destruction

It's not even going close to the Comeraghs so what are you talking about? I just looked at the maps there now and it actively goes around them. Can't please some people I suppose

comeraghs

I'm not sure what map & plans you are looking at but these pylons cut right through the Comeraghs particularly the area around Mahon Falls & threaten to destroy it as a tourist attraction.

The people of the area are strongly opposed to these completely unnecessary pylons & aren't going to sit back and let a big state company bully them.

There's no point complaining about these things after they've been built, The time to say NO is now.

comeraghs

Please sign this petition to help stop these pylons.

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/A_demand_for_undergrounding_of_high_voltage_power_lines_in_Ireland/?pv=5

Why this is important

Eirgrid, a state owned company responsible for the Irish national grid system are planning to erect hundreds or possibly thousands of pylons carrying high voltage power lines across the unique natural beauty of Ireland. Little or no consideration is shown towards peoples health, well-being, property and land devaluation, wildlife, archaeological sites and negative impact on tourism, businesses etc. All over Ireland there are numerous protests from the communities affected and we believe Eirgrid's consultation process is flawed and needs investigation. We demand the cables to be put underground. You can sign this petition wherever you are in the world, to help preserve Ireland's stunning and unexploited landscape for future generations.

comeraghs

comeraghs

A PEOPLE'S revolt against a controversial €3.2bn power project that will dot 4,000 new high-voltage pylons over much of rural Ireland is gathering momentum with dozens of towns and villages across the country banding together to fight the plan.









Top jump jockey Ruby Walsh has added his voice to oppose the Eirgrid "Grid 25" strategy – the biggest electricity infrastructure project in decades.
Mr Walsh told the Sunday Independent he is supporting his neighbours in the Calverstown, Narraghmore and Crookstown areas of Kilcullen, Co Kildare – a possible "corridor" for some 1,100 kilometres of power lines that will criss-cross the countryside.
"There's a time to stand up and be counted on behalf of your neighbours. It doesn't affect me but I can see the anxiety in the locality. People have to band together on this one. If you don't support your neighbour in times of need then the next time it will be you – and you will be on your own," he said.
The national hunt hero says putting cables underground is the best solution – for the environment and to eliminate fears over health.
"I don't know much about this technically but it just seems to me that for a little more expense all these worries could be eliminated by going underground. It just makes more sense," Mr Walsh added.
Last week nearly 500 people gathered in Piltown, Co Kilkenny, to voice their protest to the plan. The rural village is on the pathway of two of six potential routes of 45-metre high pylons across Munster and Leinster. The €500m Grid Link Project will connect substations in Knockraha in Cork to Dunstown near Kilcullen in Kildare, via Great Island in Wexford.
And there are similar projects in other parts of the country. Grid West covers Mayo, Galway, Roscommon, Sligo and Leitrim. The Meath-Tyrone project also impacts Cavan, Monaghan and Armagh, while there is another significant project joining Laois and Kilkenny. Plans for pylons linking Meath with the counties of Cavan and Monaghan have been the subject of intense opposition for years.
Eirgrid insist the developments are vital for prosperity and economic growth – that health fears are without foundation and that going underground is both too costly and technically unfeasible.
A spokesman told the Sunday Independent that a stable, high-quality electricity route is an "absolute requirement" to attract international inward investment.
But mother-of-two Sara Conlon, from Piltown, said people are just waking up to the potential impact of the project.
"I would have most concerns about the health issue. There is research that says the electro-magnetic fields (EMF) that is given off by power lines damages health. I have two young children. It is their generation that has most to lose," she told the Sunday Independent.
She is also worried about the impact on the landscape.
"One of the routes is through a valley which I can see from my house. I have a view of Kilkenny and Waterford and I can see the Galtees in Tipperary. That view will be blighted by these pylons."
The All-Ireland grid project now looks set to become a key political issue – especially in the run up to next year's local and European elections.
As Piltown mounts its campaign, other action groups are setting up all over the country.
An alliance of groups in the south-east is staging a protest march at 1pm on Saturday, November 9, at the Mahon Falls in the Comeragh Mountains in Co Waterford – a picturesque area that could be affected by the project.
The march will be led by cycling legend Sean Kelly.
Another community organisation, RTS Substation Action Group, represents people from Ratheniska, Co Laois, where this year's ploughing championships took place, as well as nearby Timahoe and Spink.
They are campaigning against a new and bigger electricity sub-station that will replace an existing facility.
Residents from the village and surrounding areas have already sent over 1,200 letters to the planning department of Laois County Council objecting to the proposed substation. The next key date for them is an oral planning hearing to take place in the Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise, Co Laois, starting on Monday, November 4. Like many of the army of community groups, RTS is using the power of social networking – especially Facebook – to galvanise opposition.
"Eirgrid will have no qualms about splashing our tax euros on teams of barristers at €3k a day and a panel of experts and consultants.
Colm Fingleton from Ratheniska claimed Eirgrid is creating the new infrastructure to "export wind energy to France" and that the local benefits cited by Eirgrid are a red herring. "This plan was hatched up in the madness of the Celtic Tiger. Since then demand for electricity has gone down between 15 and 20 per cent. The current infrastructure is [COLOR=#009900 !important]fit[/COLOR] for purpose," Mr Fingleton said.
North East Pylon Pressure (NEPP), which is further down the line in opposing plans for 400 pylons in Meath, Cavan and Monaghan, is now gathering together other groups from across Ireland for a "Monster National Wake-Up meeting" in Trim on the evening of November 5.
Padraig O'Reilly of NEPP told the Sunday Independent: "This meeting started as a gathering about the North-South Interconnector which we have opposed for five or six years now, but in the meantime all the other projects have been rolled out around the country. We have been inundated with calls for help from dozens of small communities in the pathways of the Grid West project in Connacht and the Cork-to-Kildare project.
"Taking on a semi-State agency with all their money and power is tough but it can be done if people band together," he said.
Mr O'Reilly accused Eirgrid of "setting neighbour against neighbour".
"The thing about having six or seven proposed routes is that one community will be battling against another community. The only solution is for all the groups to band together and force the Government and Eirgrid to go underground."
Landowners receive compensation for having a pylon on their land. The going rate is rumoured to be about €20,000 per pylon, though Eirgrid has refused to discuss payments.
However, individual homeowners on the pathway of overhead lines get nothing.
A 12-week consultation process started in September and ends on November 26 for the Cork-to-Kildare project. Eirgrid said it is doing everything it can to ensure that people are being informed.






SUNDAY INDO.

comeraghs

SAVE THE COMERAGHS:

Show your support by walking with us to Mahon Falls on Saturday 9th November. Meeting at 1pm in car park.

comeraghs

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/huge-turnout-for-public-meeting-opposing-eirgrid-s-plans-for-overhead-pylons-1.1585506



Close to 1,000 people attended a public meeting in Co Meath last night in opposition to EirGrid’s plans to upgrade the transmission network though overhead pylons.
The turnout is part of a campaign by North East Pylon Pressure group (Nepp) to galvanise opposition nationally to what it describes as a “disgraceful act of environmental vandalism”.
Those long opposed to a 400kV interconnector between North and South were joined by those opposed to EirGrid’s Grid Link project to connect Leinster and Munster with a 400kV overhead electricity line.
The North-South interconnector will involve 450 pylons between Tyrone and Meath while the Grid Link project will connect Cork to Kildare via Waterford with 750 pylons along a kilometre-long corridor.
A public consultation process on the proposed routes is due to conclude at the end of the month.
Padraig O’Reilly of Nepp said they had made a “very strong case” that running the cables underground was feasible and made economic sense. He said the meeting was set up to press the case for a political consensus on this issue.Among the politicians who attended were Fine Gael TD Regina Doherty, Sinn Féin TD Peadar Tóibín, Senator Thomas Byrne and MEP Marian Harkin.

Health and environment
Ms Harkin said she supported the undergrounding of cables because the European Commission had suggested a link between overhead powerlines and childhood leukemia was “valid”. Senator Byrne said he opposed pylons on the grounds of health and environment. He said Fianna Fáil would call for the project to be suspended and an independent mediator to be appointed between Eirgrid and the public.
Fine Gael TD Damien English said a Government-commissioned, independent study had proved the cables could go underground, although the costs were disputed. Mr O’Reilly said EirGrid had been invited but declined to attend.
Nepp was set up six years ago to oppose the North-South interconnector stretching from Tyrone to Meath. Mr O’Reilly told the meeting that technology had moved on and now underground high-voltage, direct current lines constituted 25 per cent of the lines planned across Europe in the next decade.
EirGrid had undermined its own argument about the costs involved by the success of the 256km East-West interconnector between Ireland and Wales which has 140km on land underground, he told the meeting.
Nepp adviser Dr Colin Andrew said the California Department of Health had concluded there was “no longer any doubt” overhead pylons caused significant health problems.
He said the effect on the landscape would be “devastating”. “You can hardly imagine filming Braveheart when there are so many pylons in the background,” he said referring to the Oscar-winning film which was shot in the Trim area.
EirGrid has said there are 6,500km of overhead pylons across the country and they are the most efficient means of carrying electricity.
Burying the cables underground is an inefficient and technically inferior solution which can only work in densely populated city areas, it said. It has also cited a review of medical studies, stating agencies including the World Health Organisation considered the evidence for increased risk of cancer as a result of exposure to power frequency electric and magnetic fields “to be scientifically unconvincing”.

comeraghs

Protest march this Saturday @ Car Park at Mahon Falls

Comeraghsagainstpylons would like everyone to show their support to oppose Eirgrid's "Gridlink" project. The more publicity we get the better. See you all on the day!

comeraghs

https://www.facebook.com/pages/No-Eirgrid-Pylons-Go-Underground/219856181511250

wellboytoo

Ah I think you're talking to yourself.

DaddyPower

Anyone from Dungarvan/Ballinroad area? Would love to go and support but transport is a problem.

Jamie2k9

I live in the general area where these are proposed and I don't see what all the fuss is about. there is already this type of connections across the countryside and don't see people complaining about it. What makes these so different. If they were painted green people wouldn't take any notice.

People have little to be doing, i'm sure the farmers will be happy with the payments of something like 20,000+.

comeraghs

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/over-1-500-protest-against-comeragh-mountains-pylon-plan-1.1590192



More than 1,500 people walked in the cold winter rain at the weekend to protest against any proposed Eirgrid network of pylons designated for the area around the Comeragh mountains.
One possible line of pylons suggested by Eirgrid, as part of its plans to upgrade the electricity grid by 2025, runs through Co Waterford. It has drawn opposition because of fears about the effect on the countryside, and health and safety concerns.
Saturday’s walk was organised jointly by the Comeraghs Against Pylons and Comeragh Rathgormack K9 Pylon Prevention groups and took protesters from Crough Wood on the edge of the Comeraghs to the picturesque Mahon Falls.
The campaign is one of several around the country in opposition to possible networks of pylons. Among those in attendance on Saturday were walking groups, scout groups, sporting organisations, national schools and other members of the public, local councillors and TDs Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael), John Halligan and Mattie McGrath (both independent) and Sinn Féin senator David Cullinane.

‘Disgrace’
The walk was to have been led by former world cycling number one Seán Kelly, who is originally from the nearby parish of Clonea-Power, but he was delayed in Belgium on Friday night and couldn’t attend. He said on Saturday: “It’s a disgrace that they’re going to put something like that in the countryside. Especially in the Comeraghs. It just can’t be allowed.”
The former champion cyclist, now overseeing his own An Post Seán Kelly team, echoed calls for the new power grid to be placed underground. “It would be a shame to put pylons in the countryside, they would be such an eyesore.”
Mattie McGrath called on Minister for Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte not to allow a new overground network. “Show him where the Comeragh mountains are. Show him what a sheep looks like. But above all, show him how we’re going to stand against this madness.”
Dermot Kirwan of the Comeragh Against Pylons group said it was “unbelievable” to think Eirgrid would place a network of pylons across the Comeragh Mountains.
Michael O’Donoghue of the Comeragh Rathgormack K9 Pylon Prevention group said it is “absolutely vital” the landscape of the region is kept intact for future generations.
Mr Coffey drew some barracking from the crowd during his speech when he said the ultimate decision about the pylons would come down to An Bord Pleanála. “No, no, no,” shouted some. The Government had to consider the future electricity needs of the country, he said, but added that Eirgrid should put any new grid underground.
“The national gas network has been put underground in this country and, in my opinion, there’s no reason the electricity grid couldn’t be put underground also,” he said.





2,487 people support this page against pylons.



https://www.facebook.com/pages/No-Eirgrid-Pylons-Go-Underground/219856181511250






PLEASE JOIN THE CAMPAIGN AND HELP STOP EIRGRID FROM RUINING OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRYSIDE.

mr jack

Comeraghs - I've been delving in and out and this conversation, very frustrating to read, and has NIMBYISM written all over it.

There's pylons going through my farm, 100m from my door. Those so called facts from that NEPP poster are ridiculously wrong.

Devaluation - where have they come from, what basis have they? I know for a fact that there's no impact on the value of our land, and if we went to sell a field in the morning that there'd be no difference in price as opposed to the next field over that doesn't have a pylon in it. How do I know that, because we sold a field last year with a pylon in it.

Health - that poster just goes to prove there's nothing proven about health affects - "majority of people believe...possible.....strong association", come on, talk about clutching at straws.

Landscape - Of course pylons aren't a visual amenity, but they need to go somewhere. Just everyone possibly affected by these new lines doesn't want them. I've never gone anywhere with regards travelling with pylons in mind, otherwise I'd never leave the house or the country.

Under grounding - the reality - technically feasible to bring power underground from one point to another, but not feasible to support the existing network, which is the reason for the project.

Supported by recent government report - no it just said it's possible, not that it should be done, because it's not feasible.

Danish government - only putting their lower high voltage lines underground, as in under 150kV, not anything above that.

East West Interconnector - is a DC line, which is completely different from an AC overhead line. DC is fine for linking one network with another. DC line not good for supporting an AC system which is what Ireland is.

I could go on and on about what's wrong with that poster but I'll stop now. Just makes me angry when there's pylons located throughout the country but when the likes of Eirgrid want to put a line near someones backdoor, then people are against it.

I'm an engineer working in energy, with a pylon going through our farm and am someone who appreciates the difficulty of what Eirgrid have to do. Everyone's happy to have electricity in their home but not for a pylon to be near them, ha, laughable.

On a side note, I checked their website again, the line skirts around the Comeraghs, going lowland as they should.

loremolis

mr jack wrote: »

Comeraghs - I've been delving in and out and this conversation, very frustrating to read, and has NIMBYISM written all over it.

There's pylons going through my farm, 100m from my door. Those so called facts from that NEPP poster are ridiculously wrong.

Devaluation - where have they come from, what basis have they? I know for a fact that there's no impact on the value of our land, and if we went to sell a field in the morning that there'd be no difference in price as opposed to the next field over that doesn't have a pylon in it. How do I know that, because we sold a field last year with a pylon in it. .

Nonsense. What if your field had 4 pylons in it. Would it still have the same value as one with none.

What if the pylons were closer to your house or overshadowed it, would that effect the value, of course it would.

If the pylons don't devalue the land then why is compensation paid and why is compensation paid annually for the losses they cause?

Health - that poster just goes to prove there's nothing proven about
health affects - "majority of people believe...possible.....strong association",
come on, talk about clutching at straws.

Would live directly under a 400kV line? There is no doubt that HV lines cause health problems for people who are exposed to them up close for a period of time. The problem is that it can't be proven.

Landscape - Of course pylons aren't a visual amenity, but they need to
go somewhere. Just everyone possibly affected by these new lines doesn't want them. I've never gone anywhere with regards travelling with pylons in mind, otherwise I'd never leave the house or the country.

I'm an engineer working in energy, with a pylon going through our farm and am someone who appreciates the difficulty of what Eirgrid have to do. Everyone's happy to have electricity in their home but not for a pylon to be near them, ha, laughable.

The difficulty of what Eirgrid have to do????
If Eirgrid weren't so arrogant and self-righteous about what they do i.e we keep the lights going on a non-profit basis, then maybe people might have some sympathy.

They are way overpaid for the mess they make, every one of them.

On a side note, I checked their website again, the line skirts around the Comeraghs, going lowland as they should.

Great, that's ok then. Maybe Eirgrid shouldn't bother with a planning application, they should just fire ahead.

freedominacup

loremolis wrote: »

Nonsense. What if your field had 4 pylons in it. Would it still have the same value as one with none.

If your field had 4 pylons in it, it'd be some size and if you put it for sale they'd be beating the s**te out of each other to bid on it as a field like that only comes for sale once in a lifetime.

If the pylons don't devalue the land then why is compensation paid and why is compensation paid annually for the losses they cause?

Compensation is for ground rent and to cover any damage caused by machinery to crops.



Would live directly under a 400kV line? There is no doubt that HV lines cause health problems for people who are exposed to them up close for a period of time. The problem is that it can't be proven.

There's no doubt other than the lack of proof:rolleyes::rolleyes:.


The difficulty of what Eirgrid have to do????

Being bombarded by pseudo-science on a daily basis and being unable to dismiss the clowns trotting it out would be very difficult for me.
.

.

Poor Uncle Tom

mr jack wrote: »

Comeraghs - I've been delving in and out and this conversation, very frustrating to read, and has NIMBYISM written all over it.

This is a very divisive and emotive issue and will have a lot a people expressing their opinions where at other times and for other topics they wouldn't necessarily do so. The mapped routes along which these lines are supposed to travel are very much, figuratively speaking, in peoples back gardens, indeed the very fact that the lines are proposed to travel trough County Waterford at all puts them firmly in all of our back gardens. It is disingenuous to single out the most active poster on this thread and shine the NIMBYISM light in their direction when all the poster is doing is keeping the thread up to date with news snippets, paper reports and local rally information.

mr jack wrote: »

There's pylons going through my farm, 100m from my door. Those so called facts from that NEPP poster are ridiculously wrong.

I'm sure you will be the first to admit that the pylons passing 100m from your door would be dwarfed quite significantly by the mega-pylons being proposed now.

mr jack wrote: »

Devaluation - where have they come from, what basis have they? I know for a fact that there's no impact on the value of our land, and if we went to sell a field in the morning that there'd be no difference in price as opposed to the next field over that doesn't have a pylon in it. How do I know that, because we sold a field last year with a pylon in it.

I would agree that agricultural land generally would not be devalued as a result of having a pylon in a field for sale. However, historically a lot of farmers have depended on 'the sale of a site' to supplement their income when the economy or circumstances dictated the need to do so. I'm going to state the obvious here but I'm sure you can see what's coming. If there was one of the proposed pylons within a field that you wanted to sell a site from, you would have a very hard job to sell it. From this point an otherwise 'healthy' site becomes unsaleable and would lead to a loss in value for the host field.

mr jack wrote: »

Health - that poster just goes to prove there's nothing proven about health affects - "majority of people believe...possible.....strong association", come on, talk about clutching at straws.

The coin has fallen on it's edge on this one.

mr jack wrote: »

Landscape - Of course pylons aren't a visual amenity, but they need to go somewhere.

Unless you have lived under a rock until now you should realise that Pylons are already everywhere, as you have already pointed out they are even 100m from your door, Do we need more of them? what would be wrong with upgrading the existing pylon systems and networks?

mr jack wrote: »

Under grounding - the reality - technically feasible to bring power underground from one point to another, but not feasible to support the existing network, which is the reason for the project.

Supported by recent government report - no it just said it's possible, not that it should be done, because it's not feasible.

Danish government - only putting their lower high voltage lines underground, as in under 150kV, not anything above that.

East West Interconnector - is a DC line, which is completely different from an AC overhead line. DC is fine for linking one network with another. DC line not good for supporting an AC system which is what Ireland is.

I think you are missing the point completely here, the suggestion to go underground is one alternative here, it is not the only alternative and instead of shooting it down perhaps out energy could be channelled into finding other alternatives or solutions since EIRGRID seemingly can't be bothered to.

As I see it, EIRGRID found itself with a huge problem, it wants to expand exponentially as a corporate enterprise and import and export electricity to and from Europe, but needs a viable network to do it. In answer to it's problem it has decided to pursue the cheapest and easiest possible solution and then try to ram this down everyone's throat while simultaneously claiming to care enough to hold public information meetings which are nothing short of a charade designed to give the impression that this is the only possible alternative to their problem.

If this was a singular problem of enhancing domestic supply, I would be far more sympathetic towards their proposals, but EIRGRID have only tried to disguise the fact that this is nothing short of Big Business Enterprise trying to fatten it's bank accounts by running roughshod over our otherwise quiet population and raping our natural resourses through Corporate Greed seemingly with political backing.

mr jack wrote: »

I'm an engineer working in energy, with a pylon going through our farm and am someone who appreciates the difficulty of what Eirgrid have to do. Everyone's happy to have electricity in their home but not for a pylon to be near them, ha, laughable.

Most people are not laughing, Jack. They can see through the veneer of greed under which these proposals are being pushed through. Maybe the pylons on your doorstep are obscuring your vision of the overall situation.

mr jack wrote: »

On a side note, I checked their website again, the line skirts around the Comeraghs, going lowland as they should.

Zoom out a little bit further, Jack, maybe you will find another solution for EIRGRID instead of skirting the Comeraghs at all.

revisionist

Don,t understand the fuss really..living in the middle of a town with masts everywhere of one description or another....Its called progress lads, more employment , more efficient energy source, and I find it difficult to have any sympathy for some of the farmers given their land grab of the old railway lines. Opposed to Deise Greenway which would be a massive boost to tourism but they play the victims with this issue....

JohnnyDrama

revisionist wrote: »

Don,t understand the fuss really..

Probably best not comment so.

revisionist

I understand there is a fuss but that does not mean I understand or sympathise with it....Troll Alert ? Insulting ....Strange how when one takes a position opposite to the populist one , the inevitable accusation of trolling comes out.
I am not sure anybody understands nor can be definitive about this issue. It is argument and hysterical counter argument as far as I can see.

comeraghs

Thanks to everyone who has supported our campaign so far & Merry Christmas to you all.

We have shown that Eirgrid and their friends in high places can be rattled ..... now to show they can be defeated.

Silverado

The pylons issue is never far from the news now. An interesting point came up the other day in an interview with Pat Rabbitt and Cathal MacCoille on RTEs Morning Ireland programme – could the existing pylons be used for the job?

I looked up the ESB map here and discovered that most of the new routes already have 220kv cables and pylons already on them. The new pylons are proposed to take 400kv cables. When I checked up on the size cable we are talking about it appears that a 220kv cable is 88mm in diameter and a 400kv cable is 118mm in diameter. Bigger and meatier yes, but it is really that huge that it requires all these extra pylons. I think that if I were Eirgrid then I would be seriously considering how to beef up the present pylons to take the extra weight in order to scale down the controversy.

It’s ironic that we already have pylons along the route and they don’t even seem to be considered. Are there any knowledgeable power workers here who can tell me if I am right?