Mainstream Renewable Power has been awarded funding of € 1.4 million by the European Commission (EC) to cover half the costs of conducting a survey of the seabed in the Irish Sea to investigate the best route for the cable which will transport electricity from wind farms in Ireland to the UK’s National Grid.
The survey is planned to be carried out in 2014 and 2015 in line with Mainstream’s plans to export 1,200MW of electricity from 2018. The funding has been awarded by the EC because Mainstream’s Energy Bridge has qualified as a "Project of Common Interest" (PCI). The Commission has adopted a list of 248 key energy infrastructure projects which receive the PCI status. For a project to be included in the PCI list, it has to have significant benefits for at least two Member States; contribute to market integration and further competition; enhance security of supply, and reduce CO2 emissions. Phase 1 of Mainstream’s Energy Bridge aims to export 1,200MW of wind power from the Irish Midlands to the UK.