Shannonbridge community meeting next week on emergency power plant project

A community meeting is due to take place next Wednesday evening to discuss the emergency power generating plant in Shannonbridge, which is due to become operational shortly.

The ESB-led initiative on the former Shannonbridge Power Station site involves 262MW of temporary emergency power generation.

This is to be produced by eight gas turbine units, fuelled by diesel oil, eight 30-metre tall steel exhaust stacks and two 110kV generator step-up transformers.

The project is understood to be coming towards the end of the construction phase, and is expected to become operational in the near future.

The local Shannonbridge Action Group is involved in organising a community meeting to discuss the project, which is to be held at 7pm on Wednesday next, April 24, in Shannonbridge Community Hall.

Representatives of the ESB, the Commission for Energy Regulation, Eirgrid and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications have been invited to attend.

The Shannonbridge Action Group said the meeting was being called in order to give "an opportunity to the ESB, and others, to present to the community the current status and future plans for the West Offaly site."

A poster for the meeting also said it would give local residents and community groups a chance to "raise any questions or concerns regarding the project and the impact on our community, eg. health, air quality, noise, soil, water, timescale, etc."

Public representatives and election candidates in the area are also being invited to attend the meeting next Wednesday.