Green light in Inishowen to upgrade ESB’s oldest wind farm
-The current 10 wind turbines have a combined capacity of 5 MW, enough green energy to meet the electricity needs of around 3,000 homes
The ESB has been granted permission to redevelop its oldest wind farm in Ireland, which is situated in Inishowen.
The 10 wind turbines at the Illies in the townland of Crockahenny were built in 1998. Now, 27 years later, the ESB is to decommission the wind farm as the turbines approach the end of their operational lifetime and replace it with two larger turbines on the same site, not far from the Eddie Fullerton Dam.
The current 10 wind turbines have a combined capacity of 5 MW, enough green energy to meet the electricity needs of around 3,000 homes. In their place, the ESB will construct two wind turbines with a maximum blade tip height of up to 119.5 metres, which is nearly double the size of the current turbines, 66m – and nearly three times the height of Derry’s Guildhall.
Granting of permission also includes the construction of wind turbine foundations and turbine hardstanding area, an extension of two existing access tracks and installation of underground cables.
The two new turbines will connect to the national grid. At this stage, it is understood that the development will connect to the grid via the existing onsite substation/control building. No changes were proposed to the existing substation as part of this application. Any such changes may be subject to a separate planning application.
The wind energy development will be located on the upper slopes of Crockahenny Hill. It will be situated near Inishowen’s biggest-ever wind farm, which was given the green light in March of this year. The Glenard wind farm will consist of 15 giant turbines, each with a total tip height in the range of 162 to 173 metres.
Crockahenny will be less than 10kms from several other wind energy developments and 6.82km south of Slieve Snaght. Wind farms and energy developments within a 10kms radius currently operational include Flughland, Glackmore, Glackmore II, Three Trees Wind Farm, Sorne Wind Farms, Sheeragh Wind Farm and Sheeragh Wind Energy Developments.
While in the same area, Carrowglen, Aught and an extension to Sorne II wind farm have been granted planning but are not yet in use. If those developments are constructed along with Glenard wind farm and Crockahenny’s two turbines, then there will be 70 turbines in a 10kms vicinity.
Donegal County Council gave the go-ahead for the wind energy development with 21 conditions. These included that operational permission is to be granted for 25 years.
Prior to building the development, a traffic management plan for the construction stage is to be submitted and agreed with the Planning Authority. The plan is to include a road network route to be used by construction traffic, including over-sized loads, and detailed arrangements for the protection of bridges and other structures.
The planning authority also states that decommissioning and construction works are to be limited to between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday.
The developer is required to retain the services of a suitably qualified and experienced Ecological Clerk of Works for the duration of the construction works. A suitably qualified and experienced bird specialist is also to be hired to undertake appropriate annual bird surveys of the site for five years.
Other conditions focus on suitable noise levels to be generated from the development and the requirements for shadow flickering from the turbines. A contribution of €126,881.67 is to be made in respect of public infrastructure and facilities.