Planning permission secured for 350MW flexible gas generation plant at Tynagh Power Station in County Galway
7 March 2025
News
Planning permission secured for new 350MW OCGT development at SSE’s Tarbert Power Station in Co. Kerry
6 February 2025
We are delighted to have secured planning permission on behalf of SSE Thermal for its transformative ‘Tarbert Next Generation Power Station’ project – a 350MW Open Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) plant fuelled by Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), a sustainable biofuel which is produced by transforming waste oils into a non-fossil-based oil alternative to diesel, offering a lower-carbon option for unabated power generation.
An OCGT plant was selected for the proposed development as it is able to respond rapidly to changes in electricity demand by starting up quickly and achieving full output within a short period of time, providing essential support to the electricity supply system at times of peak demand and at when other generation sources are not sufficient to meet demand.
Gravis Planning managed the Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) planning application for this major development, a complex and multifaceted submission including a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) to demonstrate that the proposed development would not have a negative impact on the environment, including the ecology and biodiversity of the surrounding Shannon Estuary.
In addition to managing the planning process, Gravis supported SSE Thermal and 3DW in designing an immersive virtual consultation room. This gave the project’s public consultation a much greater online presence and led to increased engagement. These virtual offerings have become increasingly prevalent as part of consultation on major new projects such as this; they elevate the standard of stakeholder engagement and make gathering feedback a more accessible process. As well as reaching those who may not be able to attend in-person consultation events because of other commitments, virtual consultations also accommodate those who are physically unable to travel to or access their local community centre or town hall. This allows all stakeholder groups to learn about the project, provide feedback and help to shape the proposals.
We are currently working with SSE, Kerry County Council and the appointed contractors to ensure an efficient condition discharge process and are looking forward to seeing the delivery of this project in the coming months and years, as SSE continues to lead in the decarbonisation of energy generation in Ireland.
