An Bord Pleanála has granted planning permission to Shannon LNG Limited to construct five kilometres of 220 kilovolt underground cables, and fibre optic cables, which would connect its power plant in north Kerry to the electricity grid.
This is a separate approval from the 600 megawatt power station which was announced yesterday.
The ten-year permission granted to the cable application was approved earlier this month, subject to conditions.
In its 15-page determination, An Bord Pleanála said the decision was consistent with Climate Action legislation vis-à-vis mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the effects of climate change in the State.
The plan involves an EirGrid operated substation with a total footprint of approximately 3,666.4 square metres enclosed with a 2.6 metre high security fence and a customer operated substation compound measuring a total footprint of approximately 3,166sq/m enclosed with a 2.6m high security fence.
It also involves five kilometre 220 kilovolt underground cables and fibre optic cable – “2.8 kilometres for which cable ducting and cables will be provided off-road, and 2.2 kilometres of cable will be pulled through existing cable ducting within the L1010.”
Shannon LNG has now secured permission for a power plant, battery energy storage system and 220 kilovolt underground cables on a 630-acre site between Tarbert and Ballylongford in Co Kerry – but not approval for its “re-gasification unit” which controversially involves Liquefied Natural Gas, or LNG.
Yesterday, An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission to Shannon LNG Limited for a power plant, with a total installed capacity of 600 megawatts, as well as a battery energy storage system.
The power plant consists of three halls, each of which holds a turbine. The buildings will be 30m in height.
There are also ancillary structures like a sub-station, a battery storage system, and two exhaust stacks approximately 35m in height.
The announcement was welcomed by local politicians like Minister Norma Foley, Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae and Fine Gael Councillor Michael Foley.
However, it was condemned by Labour’s Ciaran Ahern, Friends of the Earth, and Friends of the Irish Environment.
