31 December 2025
By Bryan McCarthy
bryan@TheCork.ie
EirGrid, the operator and developer of the electricity grid has marked another year of progress on the Celtic Interconnector project, with milestones including the first 84kms of marine cable laid and over 60% of high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable installed.
Construction on the Celtic Interconnector project, the subsea cable linking the electricity grids of East Cork, Ireland and France, has reached another significant milestone, passing two years in construction.
Transformers weighing 240 tonnes each arriving into Aghada Power Station, Cork recently, to be installed as part of the Celtic Interconnector project.
L-R Shane Cooney, EirGrid, Michael Behan, Chief Financial Officer, EirGrid, Barry Andrews, MEP and Rémi Courtial, Réseau de Transport d’Électricité (Rte) marking the two-year milestone in Brussels recently.
The strategic energy project is being developed by EirGrid, the operator and developer of Ireland’s electricity grid, and its French counterpart, Réseau de Transport d’Électricité (Rte).
Most recently, the project welcomed the delivery of four transformers, each weighing 240 tonnes, which were installed at the converter station at Ballyadam, outside Carrigtwohill and saw vessel ‘Seapiper’ transport 13,500 tonnes of rock to Cork for subsea rock installation.
Against the backdrop of construction milestones throughout the year, communities in east Cork received over €820,000 from the second phase of the Celtic Interconnector Community Benefit Fund.
Benefit sharing from the fund has seen over €1.6million awarded to community groups and not for profit groups in the project area so far.
Welcoming the two-year construction mark, Michael Behan, Chief Financial Officer, EirGrid said: “We have seen significant progress on the project over the last two years thanks to the collaboration of contractors, partners and especially to the communities of east Cork who have cooperated with us throughout each phase since the project began construction.
Behan added, “We look forward to continued advancements and milestones on the Celtic Interconnector throughout 2026.”