The Coolnabacky Substation continues to be a lightning rod for controversy, drawing the ire of local residents and politicians time and time again.
Locals have been opposed the substation since it was first brought to light 14 years ago, and were left worried and disappointed again by a recent Risk Assessment.
Four local Cllrs highlighted issues with the substation at the February meeting of Laois County Council earlier this week, with a number of local residents also present.
Fianna Fáil Cllr Padraig Fleming, Sinn Féin Cllr Aidan Mullins, and Independent Cllrs Aisling Moran and Ben Brennan called on Laois County Council to:
“Enforce the legally binding planning condition 1A of Coolnabacky Substation, which includes submissions and documentation from the oral hearing.”
Speaking on behalf of the group, Cllr Moran said:
“The affected community has spent the last 14 years trying to get the truth from Eirgrid/ESB about the true extent and their intentions for the substation, but to no avail.
“We have witnessed Eirgrid/ESB breech planning conditions, show little regard for the An Bord Pleanála conditions, and show no regard at all or any interest in the concerns of the community.
“This project was advertised and promoted as a single 110kV project to Kilkenny, and was presented as such in six days of oral hearings.
“In those hearings, Mark Norton, Technology and Innovation Manager for Eirgrid gave cast-iron assurances, in writing and verbally, that this project was not to facilitate new connections.
“The concern is that we believe Eirgrid/ESB see this site as a massive power hub, without obstructions for numerous connections.
This would make it the largest sub-station of it’s kind in Ireland and multiplies the risk to the water supply for over 25,000 people in Laois.”
Laois County Council confirmed the Planning Authority will enforce the aforementioned planning conditions (Planning Permission VA0015).
Ms Angela McEvoy, Director of Services said:
“We will enforce the conditions, and if and when applications come in, the Planning Authority will have regard for the conditions that were set out.”
SEE ALSO – In Pictures: Farmers protest at Laois County Council over ‘lack of funding’ and ‘over-regulation’
