Irish Gas-Fired Power Plant Awaits Decision from Planning Authorities

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--The fate of a proposed gas-fired power plant in County Offaly, Ireland, will be revealed by planning authorities in the coming weeks.

The Irish planning authority, An Bord Pleanala, held an oral hearing this week with concerned parties to consider the planning application by Lumcloon Energy (Offaly, Ireland) for a 350-megawatt (MW) combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant at Lumcloon. Confidence is high that the project will get the go-ahead, as there have been no formal objections to the project since the planning application was submitted in 2008. Both the local council and residents' association are in favour of the plant. A decision by the planning authority is expected before March 10.

In August 2009, Lumcloon's proposals received a boost by a ruling that said the proposed power plant was of "strategic national importance." This has helped fast-track it through the planning process. For additional information, see August 31, 2009, article - Lumcloon Energy Develops 350-Megawatt Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant in Ireland.

The project will cost an estimated 350 million euros ($474 million) and the plant will be located on the site of the old Ferbane peat-fired power plant, owned by Irish national power utility Electricity Supply Board (ESB) (Dublin). The old plant was demolished in 2002. 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 site will also host a research and development facility.

Commenting on the benefits of the plant, Nigel Reams, managing director of Lumcloon Energy, said: "The site ticks every box in terms of location, planning designation, proximity to the ESB and Bord Gais supply lines. Its proximity to the business and home-consumer market in the Midlands and west-Dublin regions means it will be able to supply electricity efficiently to the national grid just where future demand and growth is expected to be greatest. It will supply clean, flexible energy at a time when older and environmentally damaging power plants in the Midlands region are coming to the end of their natural lifespan."

Up to 500 people will be employed for construction of the facility over a planned two-year period. About 50 full-time jobs will be created at the plant, which Lumcloon wants up and running by the first half of 2012.

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