ESB given week to respond as ash residue blown on to homes

RESIDENTS who live near an ESB power station had their houses and cars covered in an ash residue.

The ESB, it emerged, has been given one week to draft a schedule of measures aimed at rectifying problems with ash storage arrangements at its power station at Moneypoint in Clare.

It follows a recent incident when residents observed a dust cloud being carried on the wind as far as Killimer church, several miles away.

The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has conducted an investigation into the July 4 incident when ash from a storage pit at Moneypoint was blown on to local properties. The EPA confirmed elevated dust emissions in breach of the ESB’s Pollution Control Licence.

During the recent site visit, the EPA found the station non-compliant in several areas.

The ESB has been given until August 19 to outline ways in which it will rectify the alleged breaches.

The EPA report has raised other concerns about record keeping and dust monitors at the ash landfill at Moneypoint which is located across the road from the main plant. The EPA has also pointed out that the ash pit only has another 10 years’ capacity.

Locals have also been disappointed with the ESB’s response to their concerns and have said that there has been little or no communication from the company.

Local resident and community spokeswoman Eve Browne said: “You would imagine there would be a lot of communication, but it was much easier for us to get an EPA inspector to come up from Cork than to get someone from the ESB to come across the road to talk to us.

“The fact that the EPA has now given the ESB a definite time frame to submit a schedule detailing how the various non-compliances will be rectified, plus looking for clearer records of daily checks on the landfill and emissions form the smoke stacks, is welcome news.”

Ms Browne added: “We have a meeting next week with the station manager and the environment coordinator and we would hope something would come of that. We are also looking for the establishment of a community forum.”

In a statement the ESB said: “Following a lengthy period of dry weather ash dust was detected blowing off the site on July 4. Immediate steps were taken to rectify the situation. Processes at the site are constantly under review and in light of this incident, changes have been implemented in the management of ash storage.”

In relation to smoke emissions, the ESB said: “During a start-up cycle, smoke will be visible for a period and this is provided for in the site licence. ESB Moneypoint endeavours to minimise the period of visible smoke emissions to ensure that it complies with conditions set out in the license. The ESB is currently investigating this event and measures to improve the situation. The ESB and the EPA are currently in discussion on the management of these issues.”

In June of this year, in an unrelated incident, one man had to be treated by a doctor when part of the Moneypoint facility was evacuated after a building was engulfed in ‘fly ash’.