The Great Island power plant currently operates on Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) with a maximum electrical output capacity of 240 MW.  The existing plant comprises three units, two 60 MW units and one 120 MW unit. All of the existing units are at the end of their useful life span.

Endesa proposes to construct a natural gas fired CCGT power plant with an electrical output capacity of 430 MW. The primary fuel source for the CCGT unit will be natural gas with distillate oil stored onsite as a back up fuel, as required by the Commission for Energy Regulation’s (CER) Secondary Fuelling Obligation.

The development site is Brownfield and located within the confines of the existing operational power plant facility, formerly operated by ESB. The Great Island power plant occupies an area of approximately 58 hectares (143 acres). The proposed development site will occupy approximately 8 hectares (19 acres).

Subject to planning permission being granted, it is anticipated, that the new power plant will be commissioned in 2012.  Once the CCGT plant becomes operational, the existing HFO fired power plant will be decommissioned.

The proposed development is considered to be of strategic national and regional importance. As such the planning application for the proposed development has been submitted to An Bord Pleanála under the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006.

Full details of the proposed development are provided in the various documents submitted to An Bord Pleanála, which can be accessed and downloaded from this website.

Under the Act submissions and observations relating to the planning application, as submitted, may only be made to An Bord Pleanála (the “Board”) at 64 Marlborough Street, Dublin 1 and not to Wexford County Council or Endesa Ireland Limited.