EirGrid’s community consultations in Ireland

EirGrid, the state-owned transmission operator in Ireland, undertook an intensive process of community consultations, with an emphasis on youth participation, to address externalities associated with expanding the electricity grid. Through the engagement process, EirGrid acknowledged that local communities are often impacted by newly built infrastructure so supporting these communities can be integral for a project’s successful implementation. Through open dialogue, EirGrid gained a better understanding of community concerns, and has developed a Community Support Fund that provides compensation to local communities located closest to new transmission infrastructure. For instance, the EUR 360 000 fund created for EirGrid’s Mullingar-Kinnegad transmission line was distributed to 37 community groups within 2 kilometres of the line. 

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