Proposed FSRU, power plant denied by Ireland’s top planning board

Ireland’s main planning agency has rejected a proposal to build a 600 MW power plant along with a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU), citing the country’s greenhouse gas reduction targets.

The project was proposed in the county Kerry on the west coast of Ireland and would include a 120 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS). Members of An Bord Pleanála, the country’s planning appeals board, said the project would be “contrary to current government policy.”

Ireland’s top planning board has rejected a plan to build a power plant and FSRU on the west coast of the country. (Image New Fortress Energy)

“It is government policy, as set out in the Policy Statement on the Importation of Fracked Gas (May 2021), that it would not be appropriate to permit or proceed with the development of any liquefied natural gas terminals in Ireland pending completion of the review of the security of energy supply of Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems,” the board wrote. “…such development would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

The project, Shannon LNG, was proposed by New Fortress Energy, a U.S. LNG company.

The combined cycle gas turbine power plant was designed to have two gas turbines in each of the three turbine halls along with a steam turbine.

The FSRU was to have a storage capacity of 170,000 cubic meters and designed to send out up to 22.6 million standard cubic meters per day of natural gas.

“Further fossil fuel generation risks a failure to meet 2050 targets, would create a lock-in effect, delaying transition to a zero carbon economy and displacing investment in clean energy,” the decision said.