ESB builds its first wind farm in Northern Ireland

ESB International (ESBI) is to build its first wind farm in Northern Ireland, at a cost of €40 million. With all the relevant planning permissions and grid connection authorisations already in place, construction of the wind farm is set to begin within months. The wind farm will be located on a farmland site at Crockagarran, near Sixmilecross, Co Tyrone. Following an 18-month construction period, the facility will begin generating electricity in 2010.

It will supply a total of 18MW of electricity using six large wind turbine generators. This output will generate enough electricity to power 500 homes annually. Commenting on this latest green development Executive Director ESB International, Michael McNicholas, said, "This significant investment in wind technology represents ESB's continuing commitment to greatly expand in renewable energy sources".

He added, "The development is also commensurate with the renewable energy objectives set out in ESB's recently announced €22 billion investment plan, €11 billion of which will be directed at renewables".

ESB's investment in Tyrone marks a continuing growth in this region of the new Single Electricity Market. ESB already owns and operates the Coolkeeragh power station, a 400MW natural gas combined cycle facility located near Derry. The company's retail business, ESB Independent Energy (ESBIE), which has operated in Northern Ireland since 2000, sells the generation output from the Coolkeeragh plant to its 1,300 large NI industrial customers.

Meanwhile, the new tidal generator development at Strangford Lough will shortly begin generating electricity commercially. ESB has invested in the Seagen tidal turbine and its retail business ESBIE will sell the output of the generator to its customers.

ESB has just renewed a five year contract with Northern Ireland Energy Holdings (NIEH) for the provision of operations and maintenance services on the 500MW Moyle Interconnector which links the electricity grids of Northern Ireland and Scotland through submarine cables. As a key infrastructure link, the Moyle Interconnector enhances electricity security throughout Ireland and allows the flow of electricity in both directions and makes possible trading with the neighbouring market in Britain.