Donegal Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Sinn Féin calls on ESB to suspend high voltage plans for West Donegal

Published: 17 May, 2006

Sinn Féin County Councillor Pearse Doherty has called on the ESB to suspend their plans to bring high voltage 110kv cables through West Donegal until a decision has been made with regard to the granting of oil and gas exploration licences. His call comes after it emerged that one of the five applicants is seeking to develop a gas powered generating plant in Burtonport.

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The ESB plan to bring high voltage cables through from Glenties up to Derrybeg and from Glenties to Letterkenny in order to upgrade the current electricity network. However, Cllr Doherty has said that these plans are causing serious concern within the local community.

Cllr Doherty said:

"I am calling on the ESB to suspend their plans at this point in time in the light of new information that one of the five applicants for a gas and exploration licence 30 kilometres of the coast of Donegal is seeking to develop a gas powered generating plant in Burtonport. Grianan energy's application offers a tangible difference to the other applications as the Donegal based company have agreed to allocate 10% of their profits to an independently run charitable trust that will invest this money in infrastructure, health and education projects in Donegal and the west of Ireland. The company has in the past two weeks applied for planning permission to Donegal County Council to develop a gas powered electricity generating plant in Burtonport.


"Whilst I have not seen the detail of the plans, there is no doubt that any major gas powered electricity generator will involve significant infrastructure. It would be inconceivable for ESB to carry on with their plans prior to the government announcement on which company the exploration licence will be granted to. The sensible course of action would be to halt their proposals and engage in consultation with the community and An Grianan to see if agreement could be reached to attain a better, safer and more environmentally friendly way to meet the power needs of Donegal."