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Frances Watkins, 28 Jan
DEVELOPERS have kicked off talks with An Bord Pleanala to deliver a
huge gas-fired power plant in Limerick.
Kilshane Energy, an Armagh-based company, has identified land at
Luddenmore near Ballyneety to develop the €150m project, which could
generate up to 293 megawatts of power.
The huge development may be capable of powering up to 300,000 homes.
But, a spokesperson said, it will be primarily used to tackle energy
shortages which may occur during extreme weather periods.
“These are not your regular power plants. These plants are tendered in
competitively for Eirgrid approval. They will be brought on board at
Eirgrid’s request when and if there are power shortages, or risk
alerts,” they said, “They will run to provide backup.”
Although powered by fossil fuels, gas-fired power generators emit fewer
greenhouse gases than existing coal and other fossil fuel plants.
[ILIM_st_johns_nr1-1674658133556.jpg--.jpg?1674658136195]
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Kilshane Energy also has a similar project before planners in Fingal,
Co Dublin. A number more are under consideration across Ireland after
Environment Minister Eamon Ryan laid out a policy to build an extra two
gigawatts of power generation to supplement the transition to
renewables.
A source said although the overall goal is to move completely to
renewables energy, this might not be practical given the changeable
weather in Ireland.
Plants like these – which align with the government’s climate
objectives – could bridge the gap, the source added.
Independent TD Richard O’Donoghue commented: “We have said from the
outset they need units to be put in place to meet the demands on energy
at the moment with the ESB. Coal emissions are very high. Anything that
would bring down these emissions, I’d welcome.”