Ireland Gives Green Light For 350-Megawatt Gas-Fired Power Plant

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Permission has been granted by Ireland's planning authority for the construction of a 350-megawatt (MW) combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant in County Offaly.

An Bord Pleanala gave the green light for the 350 million euro ($481 million) project to Lumcloon Energy (Offaly, Ireland), which has enjoyed an enormous amount of support from locals and the county council. No formal objections were made to the construction of the plant, which is unusual for a fossil fuel-fired power plant. Construction is expected to begin before the end of the year, and the plant could be operational before the end of 2012. For additional information, see February 18, 2010, article - Irish Gas-Fired Power Plant Awaits Decision from Planning Authorities.

"There was no specific objection to Lumcloon, which I think is virtually unique to a project like this," Lumcloon Energy spokesman John Gallagher told the press.

Local politician Olwyn Enright added: "Work is expected to begin on the project this summer, and with this in mind, I would encourage the company to maximise the skills of local people for this proposed plant. Having met with those involved last year, I was impressed by the professional manner in how they have approached this important project, which is to be built on the site of the old ESB plant in Lumcloon. At a time when the job creation is of the utmost importance, this new project is a major leg up for the area."

The project will create about 500 jobs during the construction phase and another 50 permanent positions in services and maintenance when the plant begins operations.

There has been some confusion, however, over the license granted. Lumcloon has only been awarded a license to generate 100 MW by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), despite the plant's being designed to generate 350 MW. The CER has since clarified that the 100 MW license related to available grid capacity and that it sees no reason why an application for generating 350 MW would be turned down at this stage.

The new gas-fired plant will consist of two generating units, a 250-MW CCGT and a 100-MW single-cycle power generation plant. The single-cycle plant will provide support during periods of a fall-off in wind generation. The new plant will be located on the site of the old Ferbane peat-fired power plant. Owned by Ireland's national power utility Electricity Supply Board (ESB) (Dublin), the peat-fired plant was demolished in 2002. The new plant will also have a research and development facility on-site.

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