A planning application is being lodged with Meath County Council for a new gas powered electricity power station just outside Drogheda, at Platin, Co Meath. When up and running it will be capable of providing 400 megawatts.
The plant is being jointly developed by Marathon Power in Cork and Scottish and Southern Energy and will be constructed on a 30 acre site at Platin close to the existing cement factory.
It is one of seven power stations being proposed by companies or consortiums to meet the rising demand for electricity. Five of the seven will be gas powered and, in addition to Meath, are planned for sites in Huntstown, Ringsend and Mulhuddart in Dublin, and Cork.
Marathon Power estimate that the Co Meath plant will cost around £175 million to construct. The proposed site is four kilometres south of Drogheda off the road to Duleek and is predominately used for agriculture. Less than half will be built on with future opportunities for development possible on the remaining lands.
The power plant will take its water supply from the river Boyne and is considering two options for the connection to An Bord Gais's supply; the main Dublin to Dundalk line south of Drogheda or the Ballough line that is close to the sub-sea pipeline at Loughshinny, Dublin.
The construction of the plant, which will include a 50 metre exhaust stack, will result in approximately 400 jobs. Once operational, around 40 full-time jobs will be created.
The interest in providing alternative supplies of power is a result of new regulations which will see 28 per cent of the ESB's current market opening up to rival producers next February; this will allow the 320 largest customers to decide who they want to supply their power.
