Tag Archives: Moneypoint Power Station

PLANS to cease burning coal to generate electricity in Moneypoint Power Station in 2025 may be delayed unless renewable sources of energy are delivered quicker than expected. Deputy Michael McNamara recently asked Climate Action and Environment Minister Eamon Ryan to outline the Government’s position regarding the operation of Moneypoint in view of ongoing energy security challenges. Minister Ryan confirmed the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) currently has a programme of actions underway to ensure the security of Ireland’s electricity supply over the coming winters. These actions include: procurement of new, enduring capacity through a number of capacity auctions; procuring additional temporary generation; extending the availability of existing generation capacity; additional use of grid scale batteries; and improved demand-side measures. Margins will remain tight during this coming winter period. “In line with the Government’s policy statement on security of electricity supply published in November 2021, it is appropriate that existing conventional electricity generation capacity, including existing coal, should be retained …

THE stark differences between the green landscape of the Loop Head Peninsula and the concrete jungle of urban India was graphically illustrated for John Bonfil during an overseas work assignment. In July 1992, the Moneypoint Power Generating Station mechanical fitter was offered an “opportunity of a lifetime” to work for ESB International Engineering on an 11-week secondment for the construction of a coal plant similar to the Killimer plant in India. The ESB’s equivalent in India, National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd (NTPC) needed a mechanical engineer with experience of working in a coal burning station to oversee the commissioning of their new ash handling project. Before his departure from Moneypoint, for what proved to be a “great experience” John received a company letter advising him to bring a number of items for his long trip. These included three notebooks, one clutch pencil with leads, two pairs of gloves, markers, three car magazines, one Irish Times, five bars of chocolate, five …

A man was airlifted to hospital today after he was injured in an incident at the ESB’s Moneypoint power station in West Clare. The man, a mechanical contractor in his 50s, is understood to have sustained serious leg injuries in an accident involving a forklift. National Ambulance Service paramedics attended the scene and treated the injured man. It was decided that the casualty should be flown to the nearest suitable hospital so an air ambulance was requested. The HSE’s Emergency Aeromedical Service (EAS) tasked the Cork-based, charity-funded Irish Community Air Ambulance (ICAA) helicopter to respond to the incident. The helicopter landed in a GAA field near Kilrush and the injured man was transported by road to meet the aircraft. The man was then airlifted to University Hospital Limerick for treatment. The flight took less than 15 minutes while the 80 kilometre journey by road would have taken over an hour. The man is being treated for crush injuries. A spokesperson …

THE impact on the environment of importing fracked gas into the Shannon Estuary will be worse over a 20-year period than importing coal to generate electricity in Moneypoint, a local environmentalist has claimed. Shannon LNG has outlined its plans to seeking planning permission from An Bord Pleanála to build a €650 million liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal between Ballylongford and Tarbert in North Kerry. An LNG terminal is a facility for regasifying liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipped in by an LNG tanker from production zones. Johnny McElligott, Tarbert of Safety Before LNG, has been opposing the proposed gas terminal for years. In his address to the rally, Mr McElligott alleged that importing fracked gas from the United States of America into the Shannon Estuary will have a 44% higher carbon equivalent footprint over a 20-year period than importing coal from Colombia to burn in Moneypoint. “We are going to close Moneypoint because it looks good, but we are going to …

THE ESB and the government are being urged to seek another investment partner for the proposed €2 billion windfarm off the Clare coast following the “devastating” withdrawal of Norwegian firm Equinor. Clare Dáil Deputies Cathal Crowe and Violet-Anne Wynne have expressed different views on the impact of this setback for a major element of Moneypoint’s €5 billion Green Atlantic initiative. Deputy Wynne believes the future of the offshore windfarm project is called into question. “Are other foreign investment partners going to be similarly off put by Ireland’s excessive bureaucracy in terms of planning and regulation?,” she asked. While Deputy Crowe accepts it is very disappointing that Equinor have withdrawn from their partnership with the ESB to develop the offshore Green Atlantic windfarm, he thinks the project can still very much proceed. Deputy Crowe is calling on the ESB and the government to immediately put their heads together and find a replacement partner. Equinor has pulled out of the Irish market, …

THE iconic 731 foot high chimneys that dominate the landscape near Moneypoint Power Station will be knocked when coal burning ceases after 2025, the ESB has confirmed. These two chimneys have become synonymous with the coal-burning power station since they were first built in 1985 as part of the initial investment worth an estimated €900 million. However, the ESB has stated the entire Moneypoint site will be reconfigured on a phased basis as part of the transition to becoming a new renewable energy hub under the Green Atlantic initiative. Speaking during a question and answer session for the media and stakeholders, ESB executive director for generation and trading, Jim Dollard acknowledged the chimneys will come down once the whole site is repurposed. Padraig O’hIceadha head of strategy, generation and trading, explained as the company built up the new infrastructure, the core infrastructure will not be required. While the ESB doesn’t envisage it will become a primary turbine manufacturer, Mr O’hIceadha …

WEST Clare workers mustn’t be forced to carry an undue burden after Moneypoint Power Station lost a major contract and main source of income from October 2024, according to a local Dáil deputy. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne has urged the government to sit down the workers at Moneypoint, trade union representatives and local representatives to ensure that West Clare people are not forced to carry an undue burden as the state transitions to a sustainable energy environment. The latest blow for Moneypoint comes about 12 months after about 100 workers lost their jobs as part of a restructuring plan. In a statement issued to the Clare Champion, the ESB expressed its disappointment that the Moneypoint units did not prequalify for the T-4 auction for the period October 2024 to September 2025. This means that Moneypoint will have no capacity income, which is its primary source of income, from October 2024. “This presents further viability challenges to the Moneypoint station which has …

The public acknowledgement by ESB chief executive Pat O’Doherty that Moneypoint power station “faces a real risk of closure” has sparked renewed calls for the utility to come clean and outline its plans for the plant going forward. The 915-megawatt coal-fire station, once the top supplier to the country’s electricity demands, faces new challenges ahead of the Climate Action Plan’s goal of ending coal burning at the Killimer plant, built nearly 40 years ago for €900million, by 2025. Mr O’Doherty further fanned local concerns for the jobs that remain at the plant when he ruled out the conversion of Moneypoint to gas and described the station as a winter plant used only when electricity demand peaks. Kilrush Independent councillor Ian Lynch has called on the ESB to end the scaremongering and provide clarity on the future use of Moneypoint post 2025. He added that there was also need for a new government to be formed and a viable plan put …