The following page lists all of the power stations operating in the Republic of Ireland .
Contents
- Power plants
- Renewable
- Non-Dispatchable plants
- Hydroelectric
- Wind
- Former power stations
- See also
- References
The following page lists all of the power stations operating in the Republic of Ireland .
The table below gives a detailed overview of the fossil-fuel based power plants operating in Ireland in 2017. The data is publicly available and updated annually by the Irish Transmission System Operator (TSO), EirGrid, in its Generation Adequacy Report. [1] In total there was 6609 MW of power plants available in 2017.
| Station | ID | Capacity (MW) | Primary Fuel | Secondary Fuel | Cycle | Boiler Type | Condenser Cooling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Demand Side Units | DSU | 260 | DSU | n/a | |||
| Aghada [lower-alpha 1] [2] | AT1 | 90 | Gas | Distillate Oil | Open Cycle | n/a | n/a |
| Aghada | AT2 | 90 | Gas | Distillate Oil | Open Cycle | n/a | n/a |
| Aghada | AT4 | 90 | Gas | Distillate Oil | Open Cycle | n/a | n/a |
| Aghada | AD2 | 431 | Gas | Distillate Oil | Combined Cycle | Waste Heat Recovery | Water |
| Dublin Bay | DB1 | 402 | Gas | Distillate Oil | Single Shaft Combined Cycle | Waste Heat Recovery | Seawater |
| Dublin Waste | 61 | Waste | Water | ||||
| Edenderry [lower-alpha 2] | ED1 | 118 | Peat/Biomass | n/a | Condensing Steam Turbine | Bubbling Fluidising Bed | Water |
| Edenderry OCGT | ED3 | 58 | Distillate Oil | n/a | Open Cycle | n/a | Water |
| Edenderry OCGT | ED5 | 58 | Distillate Oil | n/a | Open Cycle | n/a | Water |
| Great Island CCGT | GI4 | 464 | Gas | DO | Combined Cycle | HRSG | Water |
| Huntstown | HNC | 339 | Gas | Distillate Oil | Combined Cycle | Waste Heat Recovery | Air |
| Huntstown | HN2 | 397 | Gas | Distillate Oil | Combined Cycle | Waste Heat Recovery | Air |
| Indaver Waste | IW1 | 17 | Waste | Air | |||
| Lough Ree Power [lower-alpha 3] | LR4 | 91 | Peat | n/a | Condensing Steam Cycle | Circulating Fluidising Bed | Water |
| Moneypoint | MP1 | 285 | Coal | Heavy Fuel Oil | Condensing Steam Cycle | Drum | Water |
| Moneypoint | MP2 | 285 | Coal | Heavy Fuel Oil | Condensing Steam Cycle | Drum | Water |
| Moneypoint | MP3 | 285 | Coal | Heavy Fuel Oil | Condensing Steam Cycle | Drum | Water |
| North Wall [lower-alpha 4] | NW5 | 104 | Gas | Distillate Oil | Open Cycle | n/a | n/a |
| Poolbeg | PBC | 463 | Gas | Distillate Oil | Combined Cycle | Waste Heat Recovery | Water |
| Rhode | RP1 | 52 | Distillate Oil | n/a | Open Cycle | n/a | n/a |
| Rhode | RP2 | 52 | Distillate Oil | n/a | Open Cycle | n/a | n/a |
| Sealrock | SK3 | 81 | Gas | Distillate Oil | Open Cycle | Waste Heat Recovery | Water |
| Sealrock | SK4 | 81 | Gas | Distillate Oil | Open Cycle | Waste Heat Recovery | Water |
| Tarbert | TB1 | 54 | Heavy Fuel Oil | n/a | Condensing Steam Cycle | Drum | Water |
| Tarbert | TB2 | 54 | Heavy Fuel Oil | n/a | Condensing Steam Cycle | Drum | Water |
| Tarbert | TB3 | 241 | Heavy Fuel Oil | n/a | Condensing Steam Cycle | Once-through | Water |
| Tarbert | TB4 | 243 | Heavy Fuel Oil | n/a | Condensing Steam Cycle | Once-through | Water |
| Tawnaghmore | TP1 | 52 | Distillate Oil | n/a | Open Cycle | n/a | n/a |
| Tawnaghmore | TP3 | 52 | Distillate Oil | n/a | Open Cycle | n/a | n/a |
| Tynagh | TYC | 386 | Gas | Distillate Oil | Combined Cycle | n/a | Air |
| West Offaly Power [lower-alpha 3] | WO4 | 137 | Peat | n/a | Condensing Steam Turbine | Circulating Fluidising Bed | Water |
| Whitegate power station [lower-alpha 3] | WG1 | 444 | Gas | Distillate Oil | Combined Cycle | Waste Heat Recovery | Air |
This table outlines the type and capacity of non-dispatchable renewable energy generation in Ireland, which was over 3 GW in 2015. In 2010 it was 1223 MW. The vast majority of it is generated by Irish wind farms.
| Type | Capacity (MW) |
|---|---|
| Wind | 4,300 (2020) [3] |
| Solar | 1,000 [4] |
| Biomass | 34 |
| Hydro | 22 |
| Station | River | Site | Coordinates | Capacity (MW) | Plant (h.p. horse power) | Electricity sent out 1958 (MWh) | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anarget | County Donegal | 0.804 | [5] | ||||
| Ashgrove | County Kerry | 0.6 | [5] | ||||
| Ardnacrusha | Shannon | County Clare | 85.5 | 2 × 30,000 h.p. Francis turbines 1 × 34,000 h.p. Francis turbine 1 × 30,000 h.p. Kaplan turbine | 306,821 | [6] | |
| Ballisodare | County Sligo | 1.82 | [5] | ||||
| Belmont | County Offaly | 0.43 | [5] | ||||
| Bennetsbridge | County Kilkenny | 0.07 | [5] | ||||
| Boyle | County Roscommon | 0.13 | [5] | ||||
| Carrigadrohid | Lee | County Cork | 8 | 1 × 11,600 h.p. Kaplan turbine | 14,922 | [7] | |
| Castlegrace | County Tipperary | 0.1 | [5] | ||||
| Cathaleen's Falls | Erne | County Donegal | 45 | 2 × 31,750 h.p. Kaplan turbines | 194,095 | [6] | |
| Celbridge | Liffey | County Kildare | 0.055 | [5] | |||
| Clady | Gweedore | County Donegal | 4 | 1 × 45,650 h.p. Francis turbine | commissioned 1959 | [6] | |
| Cliff | Erne | County Donegal | 10 | 2 × 14,250 h.p. Kaplan turbines | 78,438 | [6] | |
| Collooney | County Sligo | 0.510 | [5] | ||||
| Cottoners | Kilorgan | County Kerry | 1 | [5] | |||
| Edergole | Lough Belshade | County Donegal | 0.65 | Vertical Pelton (188 metres head) | [5] | ||
| Glenlough | County Cork | 0.36 | [5] | ||||
| Holy Cross | County Tipperary | 0.205 | [5] | ||||
| Inch Mills | County Kilkenny | 0.1 | [5] | ||||
| Inniscarra | Lee | County Cork | 19 | 1 × 21,000 h.p. Kaplan turbine 1 × 5,800 h.p. Kaplan turbine | 52,509 | [7] | |
| Milford | County Carlow | 0.29 | [5] | ||||
| Owenbeg | County Cork | 0.8 | [5] | ||||
| Poulaphuca | Liffey | County Wicklow | 30 | 2 × 21,000 h.p. Kaplan turbines | 23,508 | [5] | |
| Golden Falls | Liffey | County Wicklow | 4.0 | 1 × 5,230 h.p. propellor turbine | 9,089 | [5] | |
| Leixlip | Liffey | County Kildare | 4.0 | 1 × 5,800 h.p. Kaplan turbine | 14,611 | [5] | |
| Turlough Hill (pumped storage) | County Wicklow | 292 | [8] |
New power stations were commissioned in the 1950s to meet the increasing demand for electricity. These included the following. [9]
| Station | County | Capacity (MW) | Type/fuel | Generating plant | Transformers | Electricity supplied in 1957–8 (MWh) | Commissioned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allenwood | Kildare | 40 | Peat | 2 × 20 MW | 2 × 10/110kV, 40,000 kVA | 216,014 | 1952 |
| Arigna | Roscommon | 15 | Coal | 1 × 15 MW | 1 × 10/110kV, 1,500 kVA | 1958 | |
| Bellacorick | Mayo | 40 | Peat | 2 × 20 MW | 1960 | ||
| Cahirciveen | Kerry | 5 | Peat | 1 × 5 MW | 1 × 10/110kV, 6,000 kVA | 3,056 | 1957 |
| Clady | Donegal | 4 | Hydro-electric | 1 × 4 MW | 1 × 10/38kV, 5,000 kVA | 1959 | |
| Ferbane | Offaly | 60 | Peat | 3 × 20 MW | 3 × 10/110kV, 75,000 kVA | 123,043 | 1957 |
| Gweedore | Donegal | 5 | Peat | 1 × 5 MW | 1 × 10/38kV, 5,000 kVA | 343 | 1957 |
| Lanesborough | Longford | 20 | Peat | 1 × 20 MW | 1 × 10/110kV, 22,500 kVA | 1958 | |
| Marina CC [10] | Cork | 90-120 | Originally coal and oil, then gas | 1954 | |||
| Miltown-Malbay | Clare | 5 | Peat | 1 × 5 MW | 1 × 10/38kV, 5,000 kVA | 11,651 | 1957 |
| Pigeon House | Dublin | 95 | Coal | 4 × 20 MW + 15 MW | 5 × 5/38kV, 110,000 kVA | 689 | Originally 1932–40, 1948 |
| Portarlington | Laois | 25 | Peat | 2 × 12.5 MW. Cooling tower | 1 × 10/110kV, 40,000 kVA | 129,952 | 1950 |
| Ringsend | Dublin | 90 | Coal & oil | 3 × 30 MW | 2 × 10/38kV, 70,000 kVA; 1 × 10/110kV, 35,000 kVA; 3 × 38/110kV, 90,000 kVA | 273,707 | 1956 |
| Screeb | Galway | 5 | Peat | 1 × 5 MW | 1 × 10/38kV, 5,000 kVA | 5,083 | 1957 |
Other decommissioned power plants include:
| Station | ID | Capacity (MW) | Primary fuel | Commissioned | Decommissioned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aghada | AD1 | 258 | Gas | 1980 | 2019 [11] |
Pumped-storage hydroelectricity (PSH), or pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES), is a type of hydroelectric energy storage used by electric power systems for load balancing. The method stores energy in the form of gravitational potential energy of water, pumped from a lower elevation reservoir to a higher elevation. Low-cost surplus off-peak electric power is typically used to run the pumps. During periods of high electrical demand, the stored water is released through turbines to produce electric power. Although the losses of the pumping process make the plant a net consumer of energy overall, the system increases revenue by selling more electricity during periods of peak demand, when electricity prices are highest. If the upper lake collects significant rainfall or is fed by a river then the plant may be a net energy producer in the manner of a traditional hydroelectric plant.
The Electricity Supply Board is a state owned electricity company operating in the Republic of Ireland. While historically a monopoly, the ESB now operates as a commercial semi-state concern in a "liberalised" and competitive market. It is a statutory corporation whose members are appointed by the government of Ireland.
The National Grid is the high-voltage electric power transmission network serving Great Britain, connecting power stations and major substations, and ensuring that electricity generated anywhere on the grid can be used to satisfy demand elsewhere. The network serves the majority of Great Britain and some of the surrounding islands. It does not cover Northern Ireland, which is part of the Irish single electricity market.
Northern Ireland Electricity Networks Limited (NIE Networks) is the electricity asset owner of the transmission and distribution infrastructure in Northern Ireland, established in 1993 when the business was privatised. NIE Networks does not generate or supply electricity. Since 2010 it has been a subsidiary of ESB Group.
India is the third largest producer of electricity in the world. During the fiscal year (FY) 2022–23, the total electricity generation in the country was 1,844 TWh, of which 1,618 TWh was generated by utilities.
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The East–West Interconnector is a 500 MW high-voltage direct current submarine and subsoil power cable which connects the Irish and British electricity markets. The project was developed by the Irish national grid operator EirGrid.
The Huntly Power Station is the largest thermal power station in New Zealand and is located in the town of Huntly in the Waikato. It is operated by Genesis Energy Limited, a publicly listed company. The station has five operational generating units – three 250 MW coal-and-gas-fired steam turbine units, a 50 MW gas peaking plant, and a 403 MW combined cycle gas turbine plant. The station also plays an important role in voltage support for the Northland, Auckland and Waikato regions.
The electricity sector in New Zealand uses mainly renewable energy, such as hydropower, geothermal power and increasingly wind energy. As of 2021, the country generated 81.2% of its electricity from renewable sources. The strategy of electrification is being pursued to enhance the penetration of renewable energy sources and to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across all sectors of the economy. In 2021, electricity consumption reached 40 terawatt-hours (TW⋅h), representing a 0.2% increase compared to the consumption levels in 2010.
According to the International Hydropower Association, Canada is the fourth largest producer of hydroelectricity in the world in 2021 after the United States, Brazil, and China. In 2019, Canada produced 632.2 TWh of electricity with 60% of energy coming from Hydroelectric and Tidal Energy Sources).
The electricity sectors of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are integrated and supply 2.5 million customers from a combination of coal, peat, natural gas, wind and hydropower. In 2022, 34 TWh were generated. In 2018 natural gas produced 51.8%, while wind turbines generated 28.1%, coal 7%, and peat 6.8% of Ireland's average electricity demand. In 2020 wind turbines generated 36.3% of Ireland's electrical demand, one of the highest wind power proportions in the world. While the United Kingdom was one of the first countries in the world to deploy commercial nuclear power plants, the island of Ireland has never had a nuclear power plant built on either side of the Irish border. Nuclear power in Ireland was discussed in the 1960s and 1970s but ultimately never phased in, with legislation now in place explicitly forbidding its introduction.
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Denmark's western electrical grid is part of the Synchronous grid of Continental Europe whereas the eastern part is connected to the Synchronous grid of Northern Europe via Sweden.
The National Grid covers most of mainland Great Britain and several of the surrounding islands, and there are interconnectors to Northern Ireland and to other European countries. Power is supplied to consumers at 230 volts AC with a frequency of 50 Hz. In 2023 about a third of electricity used in Britain was generated from fossil gas and two-thirds was low-carbon power. Wind generates the most low-carbon power, followed by nuclear some of which is imported from France. The government is aiming for greenhouse gas emissions from electricity in Britain to be net zero by 2035.
The Single Electricity Market encompassing the entire island of Ireland does not, and has never, produced any electricity from nuclear power stations. The production of electricity for the Irish national grid (Eirgrid), by nuclear fission, is prohibited in the Republic of Ireland by the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999 . The enforcement of this law is only possible within the borders of Ireland, and it does not prohibit consumption. Since 2001 in Northern Ireland and 2012 in the Republic, the grid has become increasingly interconnected with the neighbouring electric grid of Britain, and therefore Ireland is now partly powered by overseas nuclear fission stations.
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Energy is a major area of the economy of California. California is the state with the largest population and the largest economy in the United States. It is second in energy consumption after Texas. As of 2018, per capita consumption was the fourth-lowest in the United States partially because of the mild climate and energy efficiency programs.
Under the original 2009 Renewable Energy Directive Ireland had set a target of producing 16% of all its energy needs from renewable energy sources by 2020 but that has been updated by a second Renewable Energy Directive whose targets are 32% by 2030. Between 2005 and 2014 the percentage of energy from renewable energy sources grew from just 3.1% to 8.6% of total final consumption. By 2020 the overall renewable energy share was 13.5%, short of its Renewable Energy Drive target of 16%. Renewable electricity accounted for 69% of all renewable energy used in 2020, up from two thirds (66.8%) in 2019.
The Celtic Interconnector is a 700 MW high-voltage direct current (HVDC) submarine power cable under construction between the southern coast of Ireland and the north-west coast of France. It will be the first such interconnector between the two countries.
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