A planning row threatens the sale of an ESB electricity plant that the State company must offload as part of a deal with the Government. Barry O'Halloran reports.
In return for the green light to build a €300 million power plant in Aghada, Co Cork, the ESB has agreed to sell generating facilities in Tawnaghmore, Co Mayo, and Rhode, Co Offaly.
The deal is part of a Government plan to cut the ESB's share of the Irish electricity market to 40 per cent and open it up to rivals.
The ESB has to dispose of plants with a total capacity of 1,300 megawatts (mw) by 2010.
However, a competitor, Mayo Power, which is building a plant in Killala, has objected to planning permission granted to the ESB allowing it operate two generators at Tawnaghmore.
An ESB spokesman confirmed yesterday that the company got the permission in order to facilitate the site's sale.
He added that if the objection were upheld, it would prevent this. The ESB would then have to find an alternative site to offload in order to meet its commitments.
According to the ESB, the objection, lodged with An Bord Pleanála, is partly based on the fact that the network in the area does not have the capacity to carry the power generated by the two companies.
The ESB already has a mobile "emergency" plant operating at Tawnaghmore with the capacity to generate 52mw of electricity. Mayo County Council granted it permission to keep this and install another with the same generating capacity.
