The Interconnector is expected to relieve the pressure on Ireland’s electricity supply, at least in the short term. Cable laying has commenced for the long-awaited €1.62bn Celtic Interconnector project, which will create Ireland’s first interconnection with mainland Europe. The project, connecting electricity grids in Cork and France’s Brittany through subsea cables, is expected to be built and operational by 2026. Developed by EirGrid and its French equivalent Réseau de Transport d’Electricité (RTE), the Celtic Interconnector received €530.7m in EU supports in 2019. “EirGrid is proud to welcome this latest phase of works on the Celtic Interconnector project, which really shows the progress being made on this key energy project for Ireland,” said Michael Behan, the chief financial officer at EirGrid.