Bord Gáis to invest in power plant in Grange Castle

BORD Gáis Energy and its parent company, Centrica plc, have started a long-term investment in Ireland with over €250m approved for the construction of two innovative power plants in Grange Castle and Athlone.

When completed, the new plants combined will provide 200MW of flexible gas fired power generation, enough power to keep 100,000 homes fully powered all year round. Clearance works have commenced at the two locations in Profile Park, Grange Castle, and in Athlone, with construction and design tenders in progress.

Both power plants are expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

When operating, they can react to the peaks and troughs of electricity generation from renewable generators and the relative speed with which they can be switched on and off is a key benefit.

The plants are capable of moving from a standing start to full power generation inside of six minutes and are central to ensuring Ireland has a secure and stable energy supply, particularly at times of peak or short-term demand.

The proposed plants will also be hydrogen enabled, in preparation for running on renewable gas when it is available.

Dave Kirwan, Managing Director of Bord Gáis Energy said: “We recognise the current difficulties facing consumers all across Ireland in relation to energy costs.

Our focus is on protecting our customers as much as we can right now, while also using our financial strength to make investments that will protect them in the future.

“Taking a longer-term view, we are committing over €250m to the construction of the two flexible gas fired generation plants in Athlone and Dublin.

“In addition to our existing Whitegate power station, the construction of these two new plants will help the penetration of renewables on the system while also supporting Ireland’s journey to net zero.”