An Bórd Pleanála has granted planning permission for a major power plant in North Kerry.
The plant is to consist of three gas turbine halls 30-metres tall, with a total capacity to generate 600 megawatts, as well as a battery storage system, substation, and underground connecting cables.
After delaying its decision on multiple occasions, An Bórd Pleanála has now granted permission for the development on the Tarbert/Ballylongford landbank.
This has been welcomed by Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Michael Healy-Rae, independent deputy Danny Healy-Rae, Fianna Fáil TD Michael Cahill, and Minister for Children Norma Foley.
Shannon LNG had been awarded a contract to provide 353 megawatts of electricity generation for the grid by October 2026, and it submitted this power plant is necessary to secure Ireland’s energy supply.
An Bórd Pleanála wrote in coming to its decision, it had regard to European, national, regional, and local planning policy, as well as energy and climate and other relevant policies.
It noted there are impacts on the environment from this development, including possible run-off of sediments, accidental spillages of chemicals, hydrocarbons, or other contaminants entering waterbodies during construction.
The planning body also noted the impact of construction activities in terms of noise, vibration, and air pressure, as well as the direct loss of marine environmental habitats, and displacement of species around the site.
An Bórd Pleanála writes the operation of the plant would give rise to an increase in operational greenhouse gas emissions, and the development gives rise to the potential for major accident or disaster, or major accident to the environment.
The Board, however, noted that these potential effects can be avoided, managed, or mitigated by measures included in the Environmental Impact Assessment Report and with suitable planning conditions.
It said there is nothing to prevent the approval of the development on the grounds of significant environmental effects, and it would comply with policy from European down to local level.
It said the development along with the proposed battery energy storage facility, will provide back-up to a renewables-based electricity grid and contribute to the resilience of the overall energy supply network – and it said the government’s latest policies recognise there is a need for flexible generation capacity.
Permission was granted for the power plant and battery storage system subject to 26 conditions, including that the electricity produced be made available to the national grid and to be used only as back up to intermittent renewable energy only.
Permission was granted for the substation and underground cables subject to 12 conditions, including that all environmental mitigation measures be carried out in full.
