The lifespan of Moneypoint power station could be pushed out towards the end of the decade, as part of efforts to boost the country’s energy supply.
It comes as Eirgrid has warned of possible power outages this winter, due to increased demand and the closure of older plants.
This has prompted the Commission for Regulation of Utilities to make a number of recommendations to boost supply.
Eirgrid is warning that Ireland won’t have enough electricity to meet demand for the next five winters, if action isn’t taken.
In a key report, the company says this is due to the closure of older power plants and a rise in demand for electricity.
It’s warning that this winter will be challenging, with possible power outages.
The report has promoted the Commission for Regulation of Ultilities to step in and recommend that older power stations, which were due to be decommissioned, are kept open to boost supply.
This includes the Moneypoint Power Station in West Clare, which was due to cease coal buring by 2025.
The ESB announced plans earlier this year for the development of two offshore wind farms and a green hydrogen plant in the Shannon Estuary to replace the existing plant and that would power up to 1.5 million homes.
However, this won’t result in energy production until 2028.
Clare’s Fianna Fáil Senator, Timmy Dooley says it’s possible that the legacy Moneypoint power plant could remain in place, in a stand-by capacity, until the end of the decade.
Under the Government’s Climate Action Plan, 70% of our power will be generated from renewables by 2030 and Clare’s Green Senator says the lifespan of Moneypoint will now be dependent on the length of time it takes to get offshore wind up and running.
Senator Roisin Garvey is also reassuring that there’s no prospect of the Government allowing an infinite number of data centres, which result in a significant drain on energy supply, to go ahead, when the country is under pressure.
