Traffic disruptions for southside

A major infrastructure overhaul of the electricity network in Cork will get underway next week, causing traffic disruption on the southside of Cork city.

An upgrade of between the ESB Marina Generating Station on Centre Park Road and the Trabeg station on the South Douglas Road will cause a major impact on traffic movement in the areas affected.

“It a serious infrastructural upgrade from the old wires that were laid in the 1960s,” said Kieran O’Neill, a spokesperson with the ESB.

“There’s no particular reason for the timing of the works, we just got approval so we are proceeding with the works as directed. This upgrade will allow Cork harness their electrical potential in the years ahead, which the wires at the moment won’t be able to handle.”

The new underground cables being installed will replace the existing 110kV cables which were installed in with a life span of approximately 40 years. These new 110kV cables will be coupled with the new Marina 110kV GIS switching station presently being commissioned and transformer replacement at Marina and Trabeg 110kV stations.

The route of these new underground cables has just been agreed and the biggest impact on traffic movement will take place from 23 July to 27 August as a section of the outbound carriageway of the South City Link Road from the Esso garage to 500 metres past the South Douglas Road slip road will be closed. A contra flow system on the inbound carriageway will be in place for this period.

ESB Networks apologised for any inconvenience that the work may cause to the public but re-iterated that the project will greatly enhance the electrical infrastructure required to meet future development of Cork city.