Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte has announced the membership of a commission which will examine the feasibility of placing some or all of the north-south electricity interconnector underground.
The project has drawn considerable local opposition in the northeast.
EirGrid, which is behind the overall interconnector plan, says that placing the lines underground would prove prohibitively expensive.
There is no dispute over the need for an electricity interconnector between the Republic and Northern Ireland.
The dispute, however, centres on whether the 400 kilovolt power lines are built over or underground between Meath and Tyrone.
Residents say they want the lines placed underground for health reasons, but EirGrid says that would cost too much and is unnecessary.
This morning, Mr Rabbitte announced the membership of an international expert group who will examine the feasibility of putting the power lines underground.
It will also examine the route of the proposed network.
The chairman is Bo Normark from Sweden, who is an expert in the cable industry.
Two other experts from Norway and Belgium who are specialists in transmission networks have also been appointed.
They have been asked to report within six months.