The
sheer
scale
of
the
€500m
($657m)
project
–
which
would
span
11
of
the
Republic
of
Ireland’s
26
counties
–
all
but
guarantees
it
will
prove
a
flashpoint
for
controversy
as
EirGrid
opens
a
dialogue
with
affected
communities.
But
without
it,
“the
grid
in
the
south
and
east
of
Ireland
would
not
be
sufficient
to
meet
the
region’s
future
electricity
needs”,
says
Pat
Rabbitte,
minister
for
communications,
energy
and
natural
resources.
The
400kV
line
would
run
from
County
Cork
–
Ireland’s
southernmost
county,
and
its
second-largest
producer
of
wind
energy
–
up…
