Jack Kennedy: Where are you from and where are you now living?

Mark Foley: I was born in Cork, raised in Dublin and live in Wicklow.

Can you tell us where you worked previously and where you were trained/educated?

Prior to EirGrid I worked for Coillte where I set up and ran its wind energy business. I went to school in Pres Bray in Wicklow and then studied chemical engineering in UCD.

What have you worked at previously?

I was director of capital projects at the Dublin Airport Authority where, among other projects, I was responsible for the €1.2bn development programme, including Terminal 2. Before that I held a number of senior executive positions in multinational organisations.

Tell us about your current role?

As chief executive for EirGrid I am responsible for running the electricity grid in Ireland and Northern Ireland. We plan, develop and manage the grid so that it successfully underpins the economies of Ireland and Northern Ireland. We also deliver power to homes and businesses on 24/7 basis from our control centres in Belfast and Dublin.

Give us some key numbers on EirGrid

Our turnover in 2018 was €758m and we have approximately 520 staff on permanent or fixed-term contracts in Belfast and Dublin.

Our strategy focuses on moving away from an electricity grid powered by dirty fossil fuels to clean, green generation

Was it Pat Rabitte who once famously said EirGrid employees were pointy-headed intellectual lads in Dublin 4 – probably brilliant from an engineering point of view, but in terms of communications, not at the races. Discuss?

There is no shortage of very intelligent and highly educated people working in EirGrid. The nature of our work demands that. An increasing number of them work in communications and engagement roles. We need to explain to people what we do and why we do it; particularly when we are developing large infrastructure projects throughout the country, which in today’s context underpins Ireland’s ambitions in respect of meeting our obligations to mitigate against the existential threat of climate breakdown.

EirGrid has had some very public challenges communicating with farmers and rural dwellers in the past – what has changed?

We are acutely aware of the fact that our electricity lines and towers are hosted by the farming community. This is an imposition and is disruptive, both during construction and arguably in terms of the long-term loss of visual amenity. Establishing a dialogue with farmers and local communities goes a long way towards resolving potential issues. To that end, over the past 10 years we have recruited agriculture and community liaison officers throughout the country. Their primary role is to liaise with farmers and communities who are affected by our infrastructure projects. I believe that farmers and other landowners are entitled to fair and reasonable compensation for playing a key role in supporting our nation’s response to the climate change crisis.

What are the top three EirGrid objectives as we look forward into 2020?

In September we launched a five-year strategy to transform the Irish electricity system. I am looking forward to driving the implementation of this strategy in 2020. My objectives include:

  • 1. Supporting and enabling a substantial increase in the amount of renewable generation on the grid.
  • 2. Submitting a planning application for the Celtic Interconnector, our proposed €1bn electricity link to France.
  • 3. Establishing strategic partnerships that will help us deliver a power system which is massively driven by renewables.
  • What has EirGrid to do with sustainability?

    The need to respond to the climate change crisis is a priority for EirGrid. The coming years will see the most radical transformation of the power system since the advent of electricity and we in EirGrid are at the epicentre of this transition. EirGrid will develop the infrastructure, we will connect the next generation of renewables generators, including onshore wind, offshore wind and solar, and will create technological solutions that will allow the power system to function at close to 100% renewables.

    What’s EirGrid’s mission statement?

    Transforming the power system for future generations. “Transform” suggests revolution, not evolution; “the power system” reflects the highly complex and integrated new world that comprises electricity generation and the market; and “future generations” speaks to the urgency to act now and avoid leaving our children and grand-children with an environment which is irreversibly damaged.

    Has EirGrid a strategy around sustainability?

    Our strategy focuses on moving away from an electricity grid powered by dirty fossil fuels, to clean, green generation, mainly onshore wind, offshore wind and solar generation.

    How can dwellers in rural Ireland build in or help mould this strategy?

    We cannot achieve our goals without investing in new infrastructure that transports our green energy to towns and cities throughout the country. We are looking for the support and understanding from rural Ireland over the next 10 years as we and others invest billions of euros in developing the grid of tomorrow and next-generation renewables.

    What targets has EirGrid on renewable electricity generation?

    EirGrid will ensure that renewable energy will account for 70% of all electricity use in Ireland by 2030 – more than double current levels. This week we broke all previous records on the power system, exceeding 4,000 megawatts of renewables generation, equating to 72% of all electricity coming from onshore wind.

    Are those targets achievable?

    We believe they are, if we all work together and if society buys into the vision of a new Ireland where carbon is increasingly removed from electricity generation, transport, heat and industry.

    The problem with EirGrid investments is that everyone wants the power, but nobody wants the infrastructure near them - discuss ...

    Our challenge is to explain to landowners and local communities the key role EirGrid plays in transforming the power system; how we are using more and more clean, renewable energy on the grid. I believe in the context of our climate crisis, people are more accepting of our infrastructure projects. But equally, I accept that we need to recognise the contribution of landowners and respecting their role in this most critical transformation in the way we live our lives.

    EirGrid has a number of high-profile projects nearing completion or in process – what can you say on the North-South Interconnector. We understand all the legal hurdles have been cleared North and South – is that correct?

    In February, the Supreme Court upheld planning approval for the southern section of the North-South Interconnector, drawing the legal process to a close in Ireland. In Northern Ireland the Department for Infrastructure (DFI) conceded to a legal challenge against the planning permission for the project. This challenge argued that planning approval could not be granted in the absence of an infrastructure minister.

    Is an announcement on the Northern part imminent early in 2020?

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland introduced new legislation that gives senior civil servants the right to make key decisions when there is no executive in place. Given this, we are hopeful that the DFI will re-approve the planning permission early in the New Year.

    Both the midlands substation establishment and the French connection (Celtic Connector) into Cork have big impacts on rural dwellers – what’s the timeline and what stage are they at? What’s the benefit of the French connection into Ireland?

    The Midlands substation at Coolnabacky in Laois is part of the Laois-Kilkenny Reinforcement Project. This is a major scheme that will upgrade the grid across the midlands. Planning permission for the project has been granted and preliminary works have begun. This investment is vital for the midlands as it deals with current limitations in the power system, but more importantly will open the door to new investment opportunities through the unlocking of new capacity for industry and investment in the region.

    We will submit a planning application for the Celtic Interconnector late next year and we plan for the project to go live in 2026. This is a key project for Ireland as it will be our first direct connection to Continental Europe. It supports our renewable energy ambitions, improves security of supply for Irish electricity users and militates against the negative implications of Brexit.

    Is there a nuclear power generation element to the Celtic Connector as part of the energy mix and, if so, should we care?

    The Celtic Interconnector will enable Ireland export 700 megawatts of energy to France – enough to power nearly 500,000 homes. We can also import 700 megawatts when we need it, for example when the wind is not blowing and there is not much renewable energy available. Nuclear power is the largest source of electricity in France, accounting for approximately 70% of the country’s total electricity production. So we will inevitably import nuclear-generated electricity. We already do this via our two interconnectors into Britain.

    How does EirGrid deal with the environmental planning procedures around establishment of substations, overhead lines etc?

    Respect for the environment is a key consideration in the development and operation of the transmission system. To comply with European and national laws, we carry out Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) for our capital programme. Individual projects are all subject to environmental assessment outside of the SEA process. Some projects fall under a class of development requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). When this happens, we submit an Environmental Impact Statement to the relevant planning authority.

    Has the planning process for establishing projects changed for EirGrid over the last 10 years?

    Public consultation now plays a central role in planning and we have introduced a formal process that sets out how we interact with stakeholders. There is one very important principle that is at the heart of our process. The earlier people get involved in our projects, the more influence they can have on them. Even if people disagree with our plans, they have the opportunity to affect what we do when you talk to us. And the earlier people engage, the greater the potential for change.

    Also, the introduction of the Strategic Infrastructure Development planning process was important. This means that planning applications for most of our large infrastructure projects go directly to An Bord Pleanála for decision, albeit with significant input from the relevant local authority.

    What can farmers or rural dwellers do if they have legitimate concerns with EirGrid?

    Talk to our agriculture or community liaison officers. People have genuine concerns about a range of issues, including disruption to farming and health. Our people are available to meet, listen and do whatever they can to resolve the concerns.

    We understand there is a tiered compensation rate for farmers given the proximity to EirGrid estbalishments – is this correct and is this negotiable?

    Farmers who host infrastructure are compensated for doing so. The compensation is based on the type of infrastructure they host and is distributed in a uniform manner.

    We have a separate scheme that compensates rural homeowners who live within 200 metres of new electricity lines and substations. We also have a community gain scheme that recognises the importance of the local communities who support our work. Under this initiative, we create a fund in proportion to the scale of the project. We calculate the size of the fund based on the length and voltage of the new line.

    Given the very low returns on some agricultural produce, some rural dwellers will talk to you privately rather than in public – is it right to do private deals or long-term will that come back to bite EirGrid?

    Our preference is to work with farming organisations such as the IFA and agree a compensation scheme that is available to all landowners affected by a new infrastructure project. However, we recognise the rights of all individuals and we are open to talking and engaging on an individual basis without prejudice.

    What is Mark Foley’s new year resolution for communicating with Irish farmers and rural dwellers?

    Asking landowners and local communities to accept new infrastructure has never been easy. Our new strategy will test the advances we have made in our public and stakeholder engagement. The climate crisis, and our strategy to help resolve it, provides an urgent rationale.

    Our goal is to deepen and broaden our consultation approach, to respond in meaningful, honest and persuasive ways to fears and concerns and to use our best endeavours to find solutions which enable the delivery of vital national infrastructure whilst meeting the needs and expectations of local communities and landowners.

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