A € 368 million refit for the Moneypoint electricity generating station has been approved by the Government.
The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Ahern, today announced the Co Clare plant, which generates 24 per cent of the State's electricity, must be reconditioned in order to meet EU emissions standards.
The project is due for completion by January 2008 with €104 million to be spent on a major refurbishment of the plant and €264 million to be invested on the environmental installation that will reduce the station's sulpher dioxide and nitorgen oxide emissions.
Moneypoint is the State's only coal-burning power station and is critical to the strategy of maintaining a diverse "basket of fuels" in energy-generation.
Concerted efforts have been made in recent years to develop modern energy sources such as hydro-power and wind energy. The ESB has been granted planning permission for a wind farm on the Moneypoint complex.
Mr Ahern said: "Getting the balance right between maintaining fuel diversity, meeting our environmental commitments and ensuring strong levels of security of supply is a key priority."