SSE welcomes this amendment. It is positive to see the inclusion of an express commitment to ‘facilitate the transition to a low carbon and climate resilient society’ within this vital chapter of the CDP. It is particularly important that this guidance is brought to bear in the approach to developing the county and region’s electricity grid infrastructure. This is key to realising Mayo’s significant renewables energy generation potential.
The existing transmission network within the region is predominantly 110 kV with very little higher capacity 220 kV and 400 kV transmission infrastructure. While EirGrid’s Shaping our Electricity Future (‘SoEF’) aims to develop a transmission network designed to manage 80% of Ireland’s electricity coming from renewable sources by 2030, this policy, in its current form, is unlikely to assist in removing existing limitations on exporting RES-E from Mayo. To help achieve the stated aim of a transition to a low carbon and climate resilient community the Mayo County Council must adopt an ambitious approach to grid development that is commensurate with the county’s ambition for renewable projects and a transition to decarbonisation.
Future improvements to the regional transmission network will be a significant facilitator in both ‘unlocking’ previously constrained sites within the region and maximising the output capacity of existing strategic assets, which will consequently raise the renewable energy generation potential of North and Western Regional counties. It is, therefore, vital that the aim of facilitating the transition to a low carbon climate resilient society translates into the development of the county’s grid infrastructure.