Planning permission sought for major energy development at Moneypoint  - Clare Echo

*Photograph: John Mangan PLANNING permission is being sought for a new long-duration energy storage facility at Moneypoint, as ESB continues plans to transform the former coal-fired power station into a green energy hub. The proposed facility would be built within the footprint of the existing Moneypoint Generating Station in the townland of Carrowdotia South and would include up to 564 … Planning permission sought for major energy development at Moneypoint  Read More »

PLANNING permission is being sought for a new long-duration energy storage facility at Moneypoint , as ESB continues plans to transform the former coal-fired power station into a green energy hub.

The proposed facility would be built within the footprint of the existing Moneypoint Generating Station in the townland of Carrowdotia South and would include up to 564 long-duration energy storage enclosures.

ESB lodged the application with Clare County Council on August 17, with submissions open until September 20 and a decision due by October 11.

The development would store electricity and discharge it back to the national grid when required, helping to support security of supply, grid resilience and flexibility as Ireland moves towards a lower-carbon electricity system.

The facility would connect to the national grid through the existing Moneypoint substation.

Moneypoint has undergone major changes in recent years, with coal-fired generation ending in June 2025.

ESB is now progressing a wider transformation of the site under its Green Atlantic at Moneypoint strategy, described in the planning documents as a multi-billion-euro programme to turn the brownfield industrial site into a clean energy hub.

The wider Moneypoint Repowering Project includes the proposed energy storage facility and two separate gas turbine projects.

Planning applications for the two gas turbine developments are expected to be submitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála later this year.

When Moneypoint was operating on coal, the station met an average of around 25% of national electricity demand.

The proposed storage facility would be built on the former coal storage area, where ESB is currently dismantling and removing retired coal-handling equipment and other structures.

Those works are expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

If permission is granted and the necessary business and grid arrangements are secured, construction is expected to begin in late 2028, with construction and commissioning lasting up to 36 months.

A peak workforce of around 90 people per day is expected during construction, including engineering, management, skilled and semi-skilled workers.

The project is expected to generate construction traffic, with the planning documents estimating around 104 HGV movements a day during the enabling works and around 24 a day during the main construction stage.

Once operational, the facility will be remotely controlled by ESB and will not have a permanent staff presence. Routine inspections and maintenance are expected to require around six visits to the site each week on average.

The proposed development has been discussed with Clare County Council, including its Fire Service, as part of the pre-application process.

ESB has also engaged with neighbouring stakeholders and the local community about the wider Moneypoint redevelopment. The planning report states there was strong local interest in the potential economic and employment benefits of the project.

Clare County Council’s development plan supports the redevelopment of Moneypoint as a green energy hub and identifies the site as a strategic development location.

The West Clare Municipal District Settlement Plan also describes Moneypoint as vital to the economic prosperity of nearby Kilrush , while highlighting the potential for the site’s transition to support continued economic growth and employment.

ESB said the wider strategy is intended to develop Moneypoint as a base for the offshore renewable energy sector and support Ireland’s transition towards a lower-carbon electricity system.

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