Ten minutes with Shane Cooney, EirGrid Project Manager

What are you working on at present?

I’m the onshore Project Manager for the Celtic Interconnector project, connecting the electrical transmission grids of France and Ireland together. This is a key project towards Ireland achieving its renewable electricity goals. It will enable the transfer of 700MW of electricity in either direction between France and Ireland. That’s enough to power 500,000 homes. It will allow us to have more renewables on our grid, allowing us to sell excess renewables to our nearest EU neighbour France and increase our security of supply by allowing us to import electricity from France if necessary.

How did you get started in your role?

I’m a Chemical Engineering graduate from Munster Technological University (MTU), so the Electricity Transmission industry is an unusual place to find a chemical engineer, but having worked for over 25 years in the power industry both nationally and internationally, the opportunity arose with EirGrid to work on a major project of national strategic importance right here in Cork. The fact that the Celtic Interconnector was making landfall at Claycastle Beach in Youghal where I spent my childhood was an opportunity not to be missed!

Why did you choose to work with EirGrid?

While working in the power industry I had worked closely on many different projects over the years with EirGrid, and the expertise and professionalism of its people was something I always admired, and so the opportunity to work with EirGrid on achieving Ireland’s climate ambitions was a huge driver for me. We’re currently recruiting for engineering and project manager roles in our Cork office.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about interviewing for this position?

If you have a genuine interest and enthusiasm in being at the forefront of Ireland’s drive to achieve its climate goals, then put simply EirGrid is the company for you.

What is the best part of your job?

The best part of my job is how varied it is and how no two days are the same. One day I could be welcoming the French Ambassador on site, while the next day can be spent at the beach talking archaeology and petrified forests! We are carrying out this project with our joint venture partners in France Réseau de Transport d'Électricité (RTÉ), and it’s great to have the opportunity to work with different nationalities.

Is there a career moment you are really proud of?

I started out my career building conventional power stations in far corners of the world, so it’s a particular career highlight for me to be back on home turf, showing that Ireland really can lead the way in the green transition. There is a Community Benefit Fund as part of the Celtic Interconnector which allows local communities to apply for funding for projects that have a local benefit. It’s a great feeling to see the efforts of your work being reflected in genuine benefit for the local community in East Cork where I am from.

Where do you see your industry five years from now?

By then the Celtic Interconnector will be well established in operation, further facilitating the green transition and enabling Ireland’s offshore wind ambitions to become a reality.

What's the best piece of professional advice you've received?

Never be afraid to question things — just because something has always been done a particular way does not make it the right way. I’ve been lucky enough to work in a number of varied industries and so got to see first-hand the different approaches taken by different industries. We are lucky on the Celtic Interconnector to have many team members from very diverse industry backgrounds, so it is always great to see people putting forward different ways of doing things.

If you could go back in time and give yourself a piece of advice at the start of your career, what would that be?

My advice would be to work in an area you have interest in and believe in. We’re caretakers of the planet for the next generations and I do feel privileged to be able to tell my kids that I am working towards a better future for them. It’s great to work in a job where you can see that your efforts are worthwhile.

What would you say are the key skills and capabilities necessary to be good at what you do?

A large part of my job involves dealing with local communities affected by our projects. Being able to listen, understand and problem solve are key capabilities. We try to minimise the impacts our projects have on local communities, so being able to come up with workable solutions to enable the project to proceed is key.

Which industry professionals should people be following on Twitter/ LinkedIn?

I follow Professor Jerry Murphy from UCC, who has very good insights into where the industry could be headed in the long term.

What’s your favourite place to holiday?

I don’t have a favourite place, but rather going to new places all the time. I was fortunate to have worked in far flung places around the world early in my career and I think that the interest in experiencing new places has always stuck with me, so I try to experience somewhere new every year.

What are you watching at the moment?

Better Call Saul was a series I missed out on having loved Breaking Bad, so I have about five series to catch up on!

What’s your favourite meal?

Anything seafood!