Monksland power plant to be completed in 2025

Construction of Bord Gáis Energy’s power plant in Monksland, Athlone is continuing apace and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2025, it's emerged.

It is one of two hydrogen-ready peaker power plants currently being built by Bord Gáis Energy.

The gas company said that together the two plants will be central to ensuring Ireland has a secure and stable energy supply and will facilitate the increasing levels of renewable energy in the system.

“These innovative power plants can run on natural gas and hydrogen mix and have the ability to convert to 100% hydrogen in the future,” Bord Gáis Energy said in a statement issued to the Westmeath Independent.

In January of 2023, this paper reported that work had started on the new power facility on a 1.6 hectare site in Monksland, Athlone which was expected to conclude by the end of 2024, however, that timeline appears to have slipped slightly into the following year.

The location is to the south of both Oliver Carty and Arran Chemicals facilities and is bounded to the south by the M6 (Galway to Athlone) road.

Approximately 130 will be employed during the construction process for the plants.

“Once operational, up to 16 individuals including local suppliers and contractors will be working across the two plants, with a team providing operational support within Bord Gáis Energy,” the company confirmed to this paper just before Christmas.

It comes after Roscommon County Council recently agreed to lease a parcel of land in Monksland to facilitate the construction of the new power plant.

At the December meeting, councillors approved the lease of 3.3 hectares to Greener Ideas Ltd, a joint venture between Bord Gáis Energy and Mountside Partners Ltd, who are developing the new plant.

Caitlin Conneely, who is Athlone MD Area Manager and Director of Services Environment, Rural Water, Climate Change, Corporate Governance, told members that the lease is on a short-term basis for twelve months and is associated with a previous lease to facilitate the development of a gas turbine.

The approval to lease the land to facilitate the Monksland project was proposed by Cllr Emer Kelly (Ind) and seconded by Cllr Tony Ward (Ind).

In August of 2022, revised planning permission was awarded by Roscommon County Council to Greener Ideas Limited, a joint venture between Bord Gáis Energy and Mountside Partners Ltd, for the new plant.

Bord Gáis Energy said in early 2023 that it and its parent company, Centrica plc, had started a long-term investment in Ireland with over €250m approved for the construction of two innovative new power plants.

When completed, the new plants combined will provide 200MW of flexible gas fired power generation; enough power to keep 100,000 homes fully powered all year round.

Because they are flexible, both plans can be easily switched on and off as demand peaks, helping to make Ireland’s energy supply more stable and secure, according to the power supplier.