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Background - Historic Victory for Alternative to Pylons, Donegal - June 2001 In May, 2000 Donegal County Council granted planning permission to the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) to erect 100 kilometres of 110KV pylons through West Donegal (See Map Below). The Alternative to Pylons (ATP) Group, Coiste Timpeallachta Ghaoth Dobhair and members of the public, made submissions to An Bord Pleanála to voice their objections and Oral Hearings were held in Dungloe in December, 2000. On July 2nd, 2001 the Board firmly rejected the ESB's proposals perusant to the Local Government (Planning and Development) Acts, 1963 to 1999. The Inspector’s Report stated that: ‘The route of the proposed line runs through many of the most scenic and unspoilt areas of the county and this development would give rise to significant effects on the environment, mainly on the visual amenities and ecology of these areas… and that the proposed development would materially contravene the Development Plan’. The Inspector's Report concluded that: ‘the proposed development would therefore be likely to have significant effects in particular on the amenities and ecology of the area and consequently on the value of the area for tourism…this development would seriously injure the amenities of the county..materially contravene the Development Plan and be contrary to the proper planning and development of the area’.  The Facts in 2000 When the proposal was first mooted the Alternatives to Pylons Group carried out a review of the research on the adverse effects of Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) and carona ion emissions from overhead power lines. This research revealed very worrying information, especially the imformation gathered by Prof. Denis Henshaw of the University of Bristol. The health implications for humans and livestock; the environmental and scenic impact on the landscape with added implications for tourism; the devaluation of land and limitations on land use in near where pylons and electric poles are erected are all concerned held by Donegal Alternatives to Pylons. At the time of the first campaign local Independent TD Tom Gildea; Fine Gael TD Dinny McGinley; Pearse Doherty, Gerry Adams and TD for Cavan/Monaghan, Caoimhim O'Caolain, all of Sinn Féin, also pledged their support to put these lines underground.  The Proposed ESB Route of 110kv overhead Power Lines through West Donegal 2000 The fact that there were two Oral Hearings (one for the line and one for the substation) doubled the costs for this voluntary group as the issues of health, land devaluation and the loss of tourism revenue are the same in both the case of the sub-station and the overground lines, yet we had to have experts available for both weeks. Ninety five per cent 95% of the submissions to the Planning Appeals Board did not support the development which proposed to cut through 115 of West Donegal's townlands, 20% of the total, through a 1000 landowners property and near tens of thousands of homes. The ATP group is made up of a cross section of Donegal society, people who are entitled to a quality electricity supply but who demand that one of the prime assets of our County, the unspoilt scenic beauty, is not sacrificed in the name of progress! Links County Sligo: Safe Alternative for Electricity County Roscommon: Energy Matters Counties Meath and Louth: North-East Pylon Pressure County Cork: Cobh Anti-Pylon UK Radiological Protection Board Bristol University - Department of Radiation Physics Revolt (Rural England Versus Overhead Line Transmission) Power Line Facts - Studies linking power lines to childhood cancer This issue is not unique to Donegal or Ireland, but one that has been under scrutiny around the world for many years. Research carried out in the U.S.A, New Zealand, the UK and other European countries, most notably Sweden and Denmark, all suggest that there may be an increased risk in cancer rates among people who live close to electricity power lines. This is particularly significant for children, where studies have reported that those living close to some types of power lines have higher than average rates of leukemia, brain cancer and cancers in general. Further studies also suggest increases in asthma, immune-related illness and psychological problems, particularly depression, among the population in general. Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that burying transmission lines can substantially reduce their magnetic fields because they are generally insulated with rubber or plastic, this in turn would reduce the health risks. The ESB have rejected the underground option because of the increased cost but what price is our health worth? If you would like further information email DonegalATP@gmail.com. If you wish to help by making a donation to the Appeal fund you can send a cheque or postal order to: ATP GROUP, Account no. 82529441, Bank of Ireland, Dungloe, County Donegal, Ireland. |
The situation in 2009 Alternatives to Pylons, Coiste Timpeallachta Ghaoth Dobhair and the Gweebarra Conservation Group objected to the ESB’s plans to erect a standing army of 20 metre (60ft) high poles and pylons across 102 kilometres (63 miles) of pristine landscape in Donegal. The proposed routes would go through some of the most scenic areas of the County from Binbane to Glenties and onto Gweedore via the Gweebarra River and Loughanure and from Glenties to Letterkenny via Kingarrow and Meenaroy as well as a new switching station outside Glenties and a new substation at Gweedore. ESB Networks and Eirgrid applied for planning permission to An Bord Pleanála to erect the new line alongside the existing 38kv line, making a sterile corridor through 87 townlands. At the Oral Hearing in 2000 it was established that the existing 38kv power line was sufficient for local needs and, that if extra power was needed at Gweedore Industrial Estate, then a combined power and heat plant should be built there. This time around ESB Networks and Eirgrid were more honest in admitting that the lines are wanted to take energy away from Donegal's growing number of wind farms. Indeed in the ESB’s Environmental Impact Statement they say that, given the number of jobs lost in the County in recent years, there is enough power in West Donegal until 2020. In other countries ‘the polluter pays’ and the wind farmers are made to pay to underground the power lines so that the pleasure and health of the many is not surrendered for the financial benefit of a few. There will be no advantage to Donegal from increasing the voltage on the grid and instead our landscape will be forever marred by the blight of wind turbines and electricity pylons, not to mention the very real risk to health and the devaluation of land prices if this project goes ahead. In Europe the consensus is now to put wind farms out at sea and to underground the high voltage lines needed to take energy from them rather than destroy the landscape for the profit of a few. Domegal already has more wind turbines than any other Irish county and is producing 225 Megawatts, that's ten times the amount of wind energy generated in Wicklow or Mayo, for instance. The health implications of living near power lines are now well established and numerous studies in the UK, Germany and in the US show that incidents of child leukemia and various adult cancers are increased many fold for people living near power lines. The ESB maintain that they have a right of way through farmers’ lands but as cases in Roscommon, Sligo, Cork and Cavan have shown, the ESB does not have an automatic right and indeed they will not make clear who would be responsible if an accident were to occur around these power lines. Alternatives to Pylons, Coiste Timpeallachta Ghaoth Dobhair and the Gweebarra Conservation Group, together with many others, voiced their objections at an Oral Hearing in Letterkenny in April, 2009 but in October, 2009 An Bord pleanála overruled their inspectors who heard the evidence at the oral Hearing and recommended the project be given the go ahead. The proposed route maps and Environmental Impact Statement can be seen at local County Council offices or at Donegal 110kv but be warned that the files on the website are largely pdf files and, for most Donegal people, these files are too large for their broadband capacity. A positive approach to environmental energy policy would promote reliable local generation via Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units and biomass rather than overhead cables and pylons in order to preserve the donegal landscape. Although it may be attractive from an engineering perspective, there is no need, even for the foreseeable longer term, to bring a 110 kV connection to west Donegal. The ESB’s proposals would grossly over-provide for the West of the County with a capacity of 126 MW to serve a demand of around 10 MW. Even when the factorys were full of workers in Gweedore the highest demand was for 16MW and not 126MW as is presently proposed. The Danes, world leaders in wind generation with 20% of their electricity supply from windfarms, are now in the position of having to buy back electricity from Germany rather than selling it such is the inconsistency of wind power generation. Other small countries like Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark put all power lines underground while the local Council on the Isle of Mull in Scotland have declared the island a wind farm free zone as they realise that such developments would ruin their tourism industry. Rural Donegal has not received any of the benefits of the Celtic Tiger so why, therefore, should we have the worst elements? If undergrounding is good enough for Dublin and for other Irish cities why should the Donegal countryside be any different?  The Proposed ESB Route of 110kv overhead Power Lines through Donegal 2009 The affected townlands are Binbane, Meenacahan, Cloghervaddy, Meenagranoge, Meenybradden, Croagh, Meenadreen, Carrickstlieve Glebe, Monargan Glebe, Snugborough, Gortnacart Glebe, Corraness Glebe, Garvegort Glebe, Kilrean Lower, Kilrean Upper, Tullyard, Gortnamucklagh, Letterilly, Loughcrillan, Stranagloch, Meenalargan, Straboy, Shallogan More, Shallogan Beg, Drumnalough, Drumconcoose, Meenamalragh, Stracashel, Meenachuit, Clogher East, Meenanarwa, Boultypatrick, Lughveen, Montymeane, Stranagoppoge, Meenasrone North, Bellanamore, Meenmore East, Meenadoran, Tievedeevan, Kingarrow, Cummrick, Meenatinny, Meeniroy, Meenacung, Altinierin, Altadush, Tullyhonour, Treankeel, Meenadaura, Ballygallan, Drumenan, Killymasny, Cark, Lenalea, Kirkneedy, Ballystrang, Rareagh, Listack, Corravaddy, Stralongford, Glentilid, Dooballagh, Corranagh, Listellian, Ardnagappary, Meenderrygamph, Dore, Arduns, Crolly, Cronaguiggy, Meencorwick, Bunawack, Lettercau, Ardmeen, Crohyboyle, Crovehy, Craghy, Oughtmeen, Croaghnashallog, Meenleckanalore, Croghbolie, Drumlaghdrid, Meenacarn, Galwolie, Boyoughter, Cloghercor.  |