D'fhéadfadh cliseadh cumhachta i gConamara 'an chathair a mhuchadh'
ESB crisis deepens - as new Connemara link is in trouble

The electricity supply crisis facing the Connemara area deepened this week with news that it may be 4 to 5 more years, at least, before a new high-powered supply wilI be brouglit into the area following the rejection by an Bord Pleanála of the 110Kv link last month.

It has now corne to light also that Galway city could be blacked out too, if major faults occur west of the Corrib. Prospects for the planning process may also be beset with problems again, in the future....the ESB have indicated they will want to stay more or less with the same route through Connemara as was turned down in a shock decision last month by an Bord Pleanála.

Speaking on Raidío na Gaeltachta after a meeting about the Connemara power crisis, ESB spokesman, Eoghan Ó Neachtain said it could take up to two years before the company would be in a position to re-apply for planning permission.

"We would have to start totally anew," Mr Ó Neachtain said.

The meeting in Galway on Monday of this week was attended by politicians from Galway City and Connemara, including Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister, Éamon Ó Cuív TD. However, it appears that it was largely an information session as the ESB went back over the events that led up to the refusal by an Bord Pleanála of the 110Kv system for Connemara.

Eoghan Ó Neachtain stated the urgent need for the new power supply to Connemara was again shown and stressed by the ESBs engineers at the meeting in Galway. "The demand for electricity west of the Corrib has almost doubled between 1986 and 2006," Mr Ó Neachtain said. "We are in a tight spot."

But it also emerged that Galway city could be caught in the power crisis.

"We were told that there has already been an example of this because of a failure in the Camus area some time ago," Councillor Thomas Welby from Connemara explained. "It appears this fault recoiled through the system and caused shortages in the city for a period of 5 to 6 minutes. It could happen again and it could be far more serious according to the experts," Councillor Welby said.

But despite the strong support from most politicians for action on the power supply to Connemara, Eoghan Ó Neachtain said that it could be a difficult and problematic road ahead. The new booster station was planned for a site in Lower Camus. From there, the increased supply of power would be channelled aIl over Connemara.

There would be little different next time around, Mr Ó Neachtain said. "We could possibly look at reducing the size of the site at Lower Camus or we could move it some distance, but we would have to be coming into mid-Connemara for technical reasons and we would need to keep Iargely with the same route as before."

The meeting in Galway was told that the ESB had ruled out an underground link - it would cost €8Om. The cost of the conventional overground system is put at €20m. Engineers were also concerned about the length of time that it would take to find faults in an underground system and the possible safety problems.

"I am afraid we are looking at a long time," Councillor Thomas Welby said "and it looks like developments will be stopped or delayed because of what has happened." Commenting on the objections, Councillor Welby said that most of them came from the Connemara area. "There has to be consultation with these people. Some are concerned about health issues and other people may have other reasons for their objections."

As well as Minister Ó Cuív, others attending the meeting included five Connemara Co Councillors - Seán Ó Tuairisg, Seán Kyne, Seosamh Ó Cuaig, Thomas Welby and. Connie Ní Fhátharta. Dail Deputy Pádraig McCormack also attened as did Val Hanley, from the Údarás na Gaeltachta Board, City Councillors John Connolly, Niall Ó Brolcháin and Michael Leahy.

Mairtín Ó Cathain, Curadh Chonnachtach - 2/6/2006

Fainic ón Chomhairleoir Ó Cuaig ag cruinniú

Tá chuile chosúlacht ar an scéal anois go bhféadfadh géarchéim leictreachais Chonamara tuilleadh lagan a dhéanamh ar áiteacha sa gcuid thiar de chontae na Gaillimhe. Ni raibh aon dóchas ag mórán duine ar bith tar éis an chruinnithe faoi cheist an leictreachais i nGaillimh an tseachtain seo go mbeadh aon athrú ar chúrsai as seo go ceann 5 bliana, ar a laghad.

"Cén chaoi a gcoinnionn tú talamh SAC sián ó thorbairt agus córas mór leictreachais a chur siar go Conamara san am ceanna ... agus fanacht taobh istigh de theorainn réasúnach airgid?" a d'fhiafraigh an Comhairleoir Contae, Thomas Welby as Conamara t'éis an chruinnithe. "Sin í an cheist atá le réiteach má tá chuile dhrearn le sásamh - agus feictear dom go mbeidh sé fiordheacair é sin a dhéanamh," a dúirt sé.

Dhiúltaigh an Bord Pleanála an mhí seo caite cead a thabhairt le haghaidh córas nua cumhachtach leictreachais as Gaillimh amach go Camus Íochtair. Chuir roinnt dreamanna - Coiste Pobail Chamuis ina measc - agóidi isteach in aghaidh phlean an Bhord Soláthair Leictreachais. Dúirt an Comhairleoir Contae, Seosamh Ó Cuaig go raibh rud amháin "a d'fhéadfadh tine a chur faoi chosa chuile dhream" - sin go bhféadfadh cathair na Gaillimhe a bheith thios leis má chliseann an córas i gConamara.

"Tá fianaise ann go bhféadfadh fabht i gConamara na soilse a mhúchadh sa gcathair agus sin rud a dhúiseodh chuile dhuine," a deir Ó Cuaig.

Idir an dá linn, ceaptar gur in iarthar Chonamara - siar i dtreo na nOileán, Camus, Ros Muc, Cama, Caiseal, Cloch na Rón agus amach taobh an Chlocháin agus an Lionáin - is túisce a fheicfear na deacrachtaí móra.

Bhi an tAire Éamon Ó Cuiv agus an Teachta Dála, Pádraig Mac Cormaic i measc na bpolaiteoirí a bhi ag cruinniú na Gaillimhe. Bhi cúigear Comhairleoiri Contac as Conamara agus triúr as Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe ann freisin, chomh maith le Val Hanley ó bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta.

Mairtin Ó Cathain, Foinse 4/6/2006

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