*Cllr Rita McInerney. Photograph: Arthur Ellis
ESB’s plans to move from coal to oil at Moneypint secures the short-term future of the site, a West Clare representative has said.
As first reported by The Clare Echo, ESB and Equinor have reached an agreement on Moneypoint with planning permission to be lodged to convert it from a coal-fired station to an oil-fired one.
Doonbeg based Cllr Rita McInerney stated, “This significant move underscores the commitment towards a more sustainable energy future for Ireland while also securing the short-term future of the operation of the site in West Clare”.
Moneypoint will remain as a back-up electricity supplier to the national grid until 2029. This according to Cllr McInerney “is an essential development to ensuring uninterrupted power supply for Ireland. The collaborative effort between Eirgrid and ESB further reinforces Moneypoint’s significance as a vital asset in maintaining the overall consumer supply and is an important milestone in Ireland’s journey towards reducing its reliance on coal for electricity generation”.
Plans for the Green Atlantic project at Moneypoint must be supported, Rita insisted. “The completion of this project for the transition in 2029 will see the site transformed into a renewable energy hub, featuring a state-of-the-art 1,400 MW offshore windfarm, therefore ensuring that the site can be a significant driver of economic development in West Clare. These plans will potentially power up to 1.6 million homes, marking a huge step forward in our transition to clean, renewable energy sources and very importantly, has the potential to provide high value and ancillary jobs with spinoff to a local economy which has seen deprivation and job losses.
“As public representatives, we must ensure that as much activity such as research and development as well as construction and maintenance is secured at the site in Moneypoint,” she added.
