An Bord Pleanála has granted planning permission to Shannon LNG Limited for a power plant, with a total installed capacity of 600 megawatts.
Shannon LNG wants to construct a power plant, battery energy storage system and a re-gasification unit, on a 630-acre site between Tarbert and Ballylongford in Co Kerry.
In a 32-page ruling this morning, An Bord Pleanála also granted permission for a 120-megawatt Battery Energy Storage System.
An Bord Pleanála said it was granting permission, under section 37G of the Planning and Development Act 2000, subject to a lengthy series of conditions.
The power plant consists of three halls, each of which holds a turbine. The buildings will be 30 metres in height.
There are also ancillary structures like a sub-station, a battery storage system, and two exhaust stacks approximately 35 metres in height.
In its decision, An Bord Pleanála said the plan as in line with climate legislation, and provides much needed flexibility given the large amount of renewable energy on the grid.
The power plant is separate to the Liquefied Natural Gas facility which the company hopes will provide the fuel to run the plant.
They are connected – but in planning terms, today is solely about the power plant.
Polar reaction to decision
The reaction has been polar, given that LNG is controversial.
Government Minister Norma Foley said today’s decision has the potential to bring significant employment opportunities to the area.
Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae was told by the company that today’s decision was good and presented no major problems.
Fianna Fáil Ireland South MEP Billy Kelleher maintained it is a victory for common sense over ideological dogma.
And local Fine Gael Kerry County Councillor Michael Foley described it as “brilliant news which will be a catalyst for more development”.
However, Labour’s climate spokesperson Ciaran Ahern claimed the door is being opened for the importation of highly polluting fracked gas.
He said the granting of planning permission flies in the face of the country’s climate goals.
Environmental group Friends of the Earth said Ireland was ramping up gas dependency and locking Ireland into more long-term use of polluting, expensive gas, not supporting energy security or climate action.
Irish environmental group Friends of the Irish Environment claimed An Bord Pleanala had directly and purposely ignored our Climate Act and the requirement to become a climate neutral economy.
In a statement, Friends of the Irish Environment Director Tony Lowes said: “By locking us into more fossil fuels, the planning appeals board have directly and purposely ignored our Climate Act which says that all decisions must be consistent with the requirement to become a climate neutral economy.”
Separately, the environmental group Safety Before LNG, which has campaigned against the project since its inception, said the decision to grant planning permission for a 600 megawatt gas-fired power station in Tarbert seems “highly inappropriate” given the application for a LNG terminal is still going through the High Court.
While today is a substantial development, there is a long way to go yet before we know if there is going to be an LNG facility firing a power station in north Kerry.
High Court hearing
Last September, the High Court overturned a decision by An Bord Pleanála refusing permission for the gas terminal in Co Kerry.
The planning board had ruled that it would be inappropriate to permit such a development, pending the completion of an ongoing review of energy supply.
An Bord Pleanála had said the project was “contrary to Government policy and therefore contrary to the proper planning and development of the area”.
However, the High Court found that this view was based on an interpretation of policy statements and technical analysis, as opposed to a formal State directive or undertaking.
The development followed a judicial review application by Shannon LNG, a subsidiary of the US-based New Fortress Energy company.
The judgment also said An Bord Pleanála failed to consider or have regard to support for the project in the Kerry County Development Plan, along with “relevant considerations” from several other plans, concerning measures to safeguard gas supply.
The decision to quash the refusal was contained in a ruling from Mr Justice Richard Humphreys.
It was understood that An Bord Pleanála is seeking leave to appeal the ruling.
Potential for significant employment opportunities – Foley
“I welcome this positive news regarding An Bord Pleanála’s decision to grant planning permission for a 600 MW power plant on the Shannon Estuary and for a 220kV electricity connection cable to connect the power plant to the grid,” said Minister Foley in her full statement.
“The land bank in Tarbert has been ripe for development for many decades. The granting of planning permission for this project has the potential to bring significant employment opportunities to the area,” she added.
Cllr Foley, from Ballylongford, welcomed the planning permission for the power station saying: “It is brilliant news for the landbank.”
“If we can get just one thing into the landbank, it will be the catalyst for more development,” Cllr Foley said.
A long-term supporter of Shannon LNG’s plans for the area, Cllr Foley said the planning also includes permission for a grid connection which will allow the company to connect to the national grid.
He called on An Bord Pleanála not to appeal last September’s High Court ruling.
He claimed the development would mean “huge employment opportunities for north Kerry and be a major boost for the local economy”.
Green Party Leader Roderic O’Gorman said. “Today’s decision by An Bord Pleanála to grant permission for a power station in north Kerry represents further evidence of the retreat from pro-climate policies that is being led by the new Government.
“I’m concerned that the decision, while solely permitting a power station, leaves open the question of how that station will be fuelled going forward.
“My worry is that the commercial operator who has received permission today is going to come back later and seek permission for specific LNG infrastructure, like a regasification system, once the new Government has further rolled back restrictions on LNG that had been put in place by the last Government.”
