List of power stations in Northern Ireland

Last updated

This is a list of electricity-generating power stations in Northern Ireland , sorted by type and name, with installed capacity (May 2011).

Contents

Note that the Digest of United Kingdom energy statistics (DUKES) maintains a comprehensive list of United Kingdom power stations, accessible through the Department of Energy and Climate Change here.

A red background denotes a power station that is no longer operational.

List

NameOperatorLocationTypeCapacity
(MW)
CommissionedClosed
Ballylumford A AES Corporation Islandmagee, County Antrim Coal66019431974
Ballylumford B AES Corporation Islandmagee, County Antrim Oil96019682018
Ballylumford C EPUKI Islandmagee, County Antrim CCGT 6162003-
Kilroot power station EPUKI Kilroot, County Antrim Oil/coal66219812023
Kilroot Thermal UnitsEPUKIKilroot, County AntrimOil1412007/2009
Kilroot (new OCGT's) EPUKI Kilroot, County Antrim OCGT 7002024-
Belfast East [1] Belfast CorporationBelfastCoal174.7519591959
Belfast West [1] Belfast CorporationBelfastCoal24019592002
East Bridge Street [1] Belfast CorporationBelfastCoal12operating 19591959
Londonderry Corporation [1] Londonderry CorporationLondonderryCoal1818941959
Curran Point [1] Northern Ireland Electricity BoardLarneCoal5.7operating 19591959
Limavady [1] Northern Ireland Electricity BoardRoe Valley, LimavadyHydro electric0.072 [2] [3] 1896 [4] 1963
Gruig RES-Gen Ltd Loughguile, County Antrim Wind 252009-
Coolkeeragh power station Northern Ireland Electricity Board Derry, County Londonderry Oil19592005
Coolkeeragh power station ESBI Derry, County Londonderry CCGT 4082005-
Slieve Divena Infinis Windfarm * Garvaghy, County Tyrone Wind 302009-
Lendrum's Bridge RES-Gen Ltd Fintona, County Tyrone Wind 132000-
Altahullion RES-Gen Ltd Limavady, County Londonderry Wind 262003-
Altahullion2 RES-Gen Ltd Limavady, County Londonderry Wind 122007-
Lough Hill RES-Gen Ltd Drumquin, County Tyrone Wind 82007-
Bessy Bell 1 E.On UK Newtownstewart, County Tyrone Wind 51995-
Bessy Bell 2 E.On UK Newtownstewart, County Tyrone Wind 92008-
Bin Mountain Airtricity Benaughlin Mountain, County Fermanagh Wind 92007-
Tappaghan Airtricity Lack, County Fermanagh Wind 292005-
Callagheen Scottish Power Belleek, County Fermanagh Wind 172006-
Corkey Scottish Power Cloughmills, County Antrim Wind 51994-
Elliots Hill Scottish Power Ballyclare, County Antrim Wind 51995-
Rigged Hill Scottish Power Limavady, County Londonderry Wind 51994-
Wolf Bog Scottish Power Ballyclare, County Antrim Wind 102008-
SeaGen Marine Current Turbines Strangford Lough, County Down Tidal 1.220082016

*Joint venture with Scottish and Southern Energy

Tidal power

Northern Ireland was home to the world's first commercially viable tidal stream generator. [5] Trials were begun in Scotland, then in England, before Marine Current Turbines installed the thousand-tonne [6] SeaGen turbine at the mouth of Strangford Lough. The lough was chosen because it has one of the fastest tidal flows in the world. The installation went live and was connected to the grid in mid-December 2008, injecting an extra 1.2 megawatts of electricity. [7]

The turbine was scheduled to produce power for five years, though Marine Current Turbines were reported to have asked for an extension beyond their 2013 contract. [8] By March 2010, the turbine had passed an operating time of over 1,000 hours - a first for any marine energy device. [8]

Impact to the environment was closely scrutinised. [6] The device, built in Belfast's famous Harland and Wolff shipyard, is rigged with a sonar device which stops the motion of the rotor blades when it detects marine lifeform near it. While there has been no negative affect to the environment - a special protected wildlife area - it has been noticed that porpoises stop communicating while passing the device. [8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Garrett, Frederick C., ed. (1959). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol.56. London: Electrical Press. pp. C-39 to C-60.
  2. "The old hydro electric power station in Limavady". roevalley.com. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  3. "Roe Valley Power Station". Virtual Visit Tours. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  4. "Your Place And Mine - Londonderry - Limavady Part 4 - Power". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  5. "World tidal energy first for NI". BBC. 7 June 2007. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  6. 1 2 McDonald, Henry (31 March 2008). "Tidal power comes to Northern Ireland". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  7. "Tidal energy system on full power". BBC. 18 December 2008. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 "Cold tides making water boil". BBC. 15 March 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2016.