Kerry County Council has expressed its support for the proposed, new SSE gas turbine in Tarbert.
The 350 Megawatt, Low-Carbon, Open Cycle Gas Turbine is the subject of a planning application by SSE Thermal.
The company says it will run on 100% sustainable biofuel, Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), with the potential to utilise hydrogen in the future.
It’s proposed to be built on the site of the existing Tarbert Power Station, which was closed at the end of last year.
Kerry county councillors have now approved the council’s submission as part of the planning process.
At the end of November, SSE Generation Ireland Ltd applied to An Bórd Pleanála for 10-year planning permission for the proposed gas turbine.
Kerry County Council’s Chief Executive prepared a report on the proposed development, which went before councillors at this month’s council meeting, where it was approved to be sent to An Bórd Pleanála.
The report says the Environment section of Kerry County Council provided a positive report, and the proposal is acceptable subject to 34 conditions which it attached.
These include that bunds be installed to ensure no oil, grease, or other objectionable matter is discharged into any drain or watercourse, and that no polluting matters shall be discharged directly or indirectly to any waters from the proposed works.
The Chief Executive’s report notes the proposal is acceptable in principle, and would be considered in keeping with the established use on the site – which is the generation of electricity.
It says the proposal complies with the policies and objectives of the Kerry County Development Plan 2022-2028, and the visual impact is considered low and localised.
It says positive reports have been received from internal sections of the planning authority, which recommends a grant of permission with the attached conditions.
An Bórd Pleanála is due to decide on the application by June 5th, and submissions or observations can still be made on it before 1st February at 5:30pm.
The proposed power station recently secured a 10-year contract to provide electricity to the grid, commencing in 2026/27, and the company says it can be operational by 2026.
