Bere Island cable
Island LinkOperationalIE1958
Also known as:Bere Island cable, Berehaven–Bere Island cable, Bere Island subsea distribution cable, Cábla Oileán Bhéarra
Status:Operational
Project Company:ESB Networks
Type:island link
Bere Island submarine electricity cable is a distribution‑level subsea link that supplies the island community in Bantry Bay (West Cork, Ireland) with mains power from the mainland at Berehaven/Castletownbere. The asset is a distribution (low/medium‑voltage) submarine cable rather than a high‑voltage transmission interconnector (i.e., not HVAC/HVDC) and functions primarily to...
Supply Chain (0)
Project Timeline (8)
5 Jan 2024Inspection Survey
On 5 January 2024, ESB Networks commissioned and dispatched specialist divers to inspect the damaged undersea power cable between Castletownbere and Bere Island, locate the fault and retrieve the cable to the surface in preparation for repair works following the fishing-vessel strike.
5 Jan 2024Cable Repair
Following the 4 January 2024 fault, ESB Networks crews, working with specialist divers, began emergency repairs on the damaged undersea electricity cable connecting Castletownbere/Berehaven to Bere Island, after the cable was brought to the surface so restoration work could be carried out.
4 Jan 2024Major Outage
On 4 January 2024, an undersea electricity cable running from Castletownbere/Berehaven on the mainland to Bere Island was accidentally damaged by a fishing vessel, causing a power cut from about 3.30pm that left approximately 280–281 ESB Networks customers, including virtually the entire Bere Island community, without electricity for over 24–30 hours.
Apr 1958Commercial Operations Full Power
Mains electricity supply to Bere Island via the ESB Networks submarine cable from the mainland was completed in April 1958, marking the start of full operational service of the island’s distribution link. Work on the subsea cable scheme had begun in July 1957, following completion of the island’s internal network and delivery of construction materials in 1957 and the laying of the underwater electric cable in March 1958.
Mar 1958Cable Installation Start
In March 1958, Brendan Murphy’s barge was used to lay the underwater electric cable to Bere Island, an operation documented by ESB’s Rural Electrification News and remembered locally as the key subsea installation step of the island’s power link.
1 Mar 1958Cable Installation Complete
In March 1958, the Electricity Supply Board’s rural electrification team, led by Mr. R. M. Scallan, completed the laying of three underwater electric cables linking Bere Island to the mainland. Using Brendan Murphy’s Bere Island motor-launch and barge to handle and lay the cables, the crew began work on a Tuesday and finished the installation the following day, providing the infrastructure to connect over 120 island houses to the mainland electricity supply.
Aug 1957Construction Other
In August 1957, ESB’s Rural Electrification News reported that after the Dutch vessel mv Whitsun delivered construction materials to Bere Island, the island electricity network was "now completed" and the submarine cable supplying the island was "on its way from Germany", indicating that local distribution works were finished and the subsea power link was being shipped for installation.
Jul 1957Cable Installation Start
Work to provide Bere Island with mains electricity from the mainland via a submarine cable began in July 1957, marking the start of construction of the island’s electrical link and associated infrastructure.