Alica Trainor, Project Manager, SONI writes:

Our goal at SONI, is to invest in and upgrade the transmission grid so that the electricity supply is more reliable, efficient, and cost effective in order to deliver a clean energy future.

The proposed Mid Antrim Upgrade project is a key component of this goal, and it will see the upgrade of the electricity grid infrastructure between the Kells and Rasharkin Main Substations in County Antrim. The upgrade will ensure a more efficient and secure electricity supply, on a more sustainable basis, to achieve our climate ambition of 80% renewable electricity generation by 2030, as committed to in the Climate Change Act.

In addition, the project will facilitate the delivery of renewable energy to areas in demand, whilst ensuring the grid has the capacity and flexibility to handle greater levels of renewable energy in the future. This will in turn reduce bottlenecks in the area and result in predicted consumer savings of £9.5 million annually by 2030.

As part of SONI’s commitment to undertaking meaningful and ongoing engagement with stakeholders, we will be hosting a number of in-person consultation events throughout November. Our consultation process will enable us to gather as much information as possible from those who live and work in the local area.

You can have your say by visiting The SONI Consultation portal: https://consult.soni.ltd.uk/consultation/mid-antrim-upgrade, or by attending one of our consultation days:

2pm-7pm, 16th November 2022 at Ross Park Hotel, Kells
2pm-7pm, 22nd November 2022 at The Bank, Portglenone
2pm-7pm, 29th November 2022 at Rasharkin Community Centre

The SONI consultation portal will remain open for 6 weeks until 12 December 2022.

We have also set up the Mid Antrim Upgrade Community Forum as an opportunity for the community to offer advice on key project developments such as how we communicate and engage with the public, what we need to consider in developing the project and how we can deliver meaningful community benefit to the area where our infrastructure is hosted.

We will use your feedback and collaboration to help inform us during the next stage of our grid development process.

As the project develops, further consultation with the public will then take place in 2023.