Posted by Ireland relies heavily on three main subsea interconnectors from Beattock Via Brighouse Bay to Carrickfergus and two pipe lines from Beattock Via Brighouse Bay to Gormanston which also feeds the Isle of Man, and one other than lands between Gormanston and Dublin which ties into the backbone of the national gas grid and corrib gas fields. About 86% of Ireland’s gas comes via these UK interconnectors, with the rest from the domestic Corrib field. Major Gas-Fired Power Stations Aghada Co. CorkESB963 MW Huntstown Co. DublinEnergia744 MW Poolbeg Co. DublinESB470 MW Great Island Co. WexfordSSE Thermal464 MW Whitegate Co. CorkBord Gáis Energy445 MW Dublin Bay Co. DublinESB410 MW Tynagh Co. GalwayTynagh Energy400 MW There are also Peaking and Flexible Generation Plants these come on line quickly if there is demand (Dublin): 316 MW total capacity.North Wall (Westmeath): 275 MW.Castlelost FlexGen (Limerick): 162 MW.Sealrock (Offaly): 116 MW.Cushaling (Mayo): 104 MW.Tawnaghmore (Dublin): 102 MW.Profile Park (Dublin): 65 MW each.Corduff, Poolbeg, & Ringsend FlexGen Outside of these stations, the rest are Moneypoint Co. Clare, Formerly Ireland’s only coal plant (915 MW), it ceased burning coal in June 2025. It now operates as an “out of market” strategic reserve, burning Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) only when required for grid security until its planned decommissioning in 2029. Tarbert Co. Kerry An older station with a capacity of roughly 592 MW that runs on Heavy Fuel Oil. Like Moneypoint it is used mainly for peak demand and emergency backup. Edenderry Co. Offaly A 128 MW plant that primarily burns biomass (such as wood pellets) and some peat, though it is transitioning toward natural gas for its peaking units. Dublin Waste to Energy (Covanta) Located at Poolbeg, this facility generates approximately 60 MW by burning municipal waste. One thing to note is that while Ireland has renewables they need grid power to sync and operate. If Ireland looses access to the gas lines to the UK, Ireland is goosed, Always remember in October 2019 While in opposition as the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, famously opposed the construction of the Shannon LNG project. Eamonn Ryan told the Dáil that the Shannon LNG project terminal, a proposed €650 million Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility in County Kerry. was a “climate change issue of the first order” and urged the government to stop the project immediately. He argued that building new, permanent large-scale fossil fuel infrastructure was inconsistent with Ireland’s climate targets and its goal of moving away from gas entirely. In September 2023, An Bord Pleanála refused planning permission, citing Government policy against the development of LNG terminals pending a full energy security review. In September 2024, the High Court quashed the refusal, ruling that the policy statement used by the board had no grounding in law and ordering a reconsideration. As of late 2024/early 2025, Ryan has commissioned further analysis to determine if a state-led facility is even necessary, given that falling gas demand and better storage alternatives might negate the need for it entirely. A full floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) at the site would hold approximately 170,000 cubic metres of gas. This is enough to supply Ireland’s entire national gas demand for seven days. If used strictly for residential needs, the storage could support roughly 200,000 average domestic customers for six months. The project includes a 600 MW gas-fired power plant, which would act as a major backup for the national grid when renewable generation (like wind) is low. The deal breaker Currently, about 78% of Ireland’s gas is imported via two interconnectors from a single point in the UK (Moffat). Shannon LNG would provide a direct link to the global market, reducing reliance on the UK pipeline.
Ireland relies heavily on three main subsea interconnectors from Beattock Via Brighouse Bay to Carrickfergus and two pipe lines from Beattock Via Brighouse Bay to Gormanston which also feeds the Isle of Man, and one other than lands between Gormanston and Dublin which ties into the backbone of the national gas grid and corrib gas fields. About 86% of Ireland’s gas comes via these UK interconnectors, with the rest from the domestic Corrib field. Major Gas-Fired Power Stations Aghada Co. CorkESB963 MW Huntstown Co. DublinEnergia744 MW Poolbeg Co. DublinESB470 MW Great Island Co. WexfordSSE Thermal464 MW Whitegate Co. CorkBord Gáis Energy445 MW Dublin Bay Co. DublinESB410 MW Tynagh Co. GalwayTynagh Energy400 MW There are also Peaking and Flexible Generation Plants these come on line quickly if there is demand (Dublin): 316 MW total capacity.North Wall (Westmeath): 275 MW.Castlelost FlexGen (Limerick): 162 MW.Sealrock (Offaly): 116 MW.Cushaling (Mayo): 104 MW.Tawnaghmore (Dublin): 102 MW.Profile Park (Dublin): 65 MW each.Corduff, Poolbeg, & Ringsend FlexGen Outside of these stations, the rest are Moneypoint Co. Clare, Formerly Ireland’s only coal plant (915 MW), it ceased burning coal in June 2025. It now operates as an “out of market” strategic reserve, burning Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) only when required for grid security until its planned decommissioning in 2029. Tarbert Co. Kerry An older station with a capacity of roughly 592 MW that runs on Heavy Fuel Oil. Like Moneypoint it is used mainly for peak demand and emergency backup. Edenderry Co. Offaly A 128 MW plant that primarily burns biomass (such as wood pellets) and some peat, though it is transitioning toward natural gas for its peaking units. Dublin Waste to Energy (Covanta) Located at Poolbeg, this facility generates approximately 60 MW by burning municipal waste. One thing to note is that while Ireland has renewables they need grid power to sync and operate. If Ireland looses access to the gas lines to the UK, Ireland is goosed, Always remember in October 2019 While in opposition as the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, famously opposed the construction of the Shannon LNG project. Eamonn Ryan told the Dáil that the Shannon LNG project terminal, a proposed €650 million Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility in County Kerry. was a “climate change issue of the first order” and urged the government to stop the project immediately. He argued that building new, permanent large-scale fossil fuel infrastructure was inconsistent with Ireland’s climate targets and its goal of moving away from gas entirely. In September 2023, An Bord Pleanála refused planning permission, citing Government policy against the development of LNG terminals pending a full energy security review. In September 2024, the High Court quashed the refusal, ruling that the policy statement used by the board had no grounding in law and ordering a reconsideration. As of late 2024/early 2025, Ryan has commissioned further analysis to determine if a state-led facility is even necessary, given that falling gas demand and better storage alternatives might negate the need for it entirely. A full floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) at the site would hold approximately 170,000 cubic metres of gas. This is enough to supply Ireland’s entire national gas demand for seven days. If used strictly for residential needs, the storage could support roughly 200,000 average domestic customers for six months. The project includes a 600 MW gas-fired power plant, which would act as a major backup for the national grid when renewable generation (like wind) is low. The deal breaker Currently, about 78% of Ireland’s gas is imported via two interconnectors from a single point in the UK (Moffat). Shannon LNG would provide a direct link to the global market, reducing reliance on the UK pipeline.
Keira Connolly
Who Watches the Watchers? 