A report into the controversial North-South electricity interconnector has found that the option of going fully underground is possible. However, overground is much cheaper (€167 million compared with €500 million) and could be made more acceptable with new tower designs.
The report, by an international expert panel, into the Meath-Tyrone project was commissioned by Minister for Energy Pat Rabbitte in July after the planning process collapsed. There has been local opposition to the overground option.
In the underground option, roads, rail and farmland could be used for the route.
