Greenlink is nearing the finalisation of permits and will be “shovel ready” in the second half of 2021, said Paul O’Rourke, the €450m project’s new construction director.
Mr O’Rourke will lead construction activities for Greenlink, the 190km subsea and underground electricity interconnector cable that will connect the grids in Ireland and the UK. The Greenlink interconnector has a nominal capacity of 500 megawatts, equivalent to powering 380,000 homes.
Nigel Beresford, Greenlink CEO, said: “In addition to the 250 jobs which will be created during construction, interconnection will improve energy security, regional investment and competitive energy costs for consumers, as well as facilitating the integration of low carbon renewable energy sources.
“Pending planning approval, it is our intention to have this project built by the end of 2023. Paul’s appointment is a very timely and welcome boost to help us realise that ambition.”
Paul O’Rourke joins from Saudi Aramco where he led asset management activities for more than 2000km of critical submarine cables interconnecting offshore production facilities.
He spent five years with EirGrid, initially as the marine project manager during development of the East West Interconnector (EWIC) and subsequently as the project director, taking EWIC through to completion.
Paul previously held the role of electrical project engineer with Siemens having completed the Siemens’ UK Graduate Development Program. He holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from UCD and a Masters in Engineering from DIT (now TU Dublin).
Greenlink will provide a new grid connection between the existing Great Island substation in Co Wexford and the UK National Grid’s Pembroke substation in South Wales, allowing power to flow in either direction depending on supply and demand in each country. “
Greenlink is a critical piece of national infrastructure which will greatly support the Irish Government’s Climate Action Plan for decarbonising the energy system. Its development and delivery will, I believe, be a catalyst for further transition from fossil fuels, not just for the South East but obviously the entire island,” said Pádraig McManus, Greenlink board member and director.
This article first appeared in Irishexaminer.com/business in April 2021. If Engineering Jobs or working in the UK sounds of interest to you, do check out the below links:
MAIN PHOTO: The Greenlink grid connection between the existing Great Island substation in Co Wexford and the UK National Grid’s Pembroke substation in South Wales.
