Wind turbine plan for Cork harbour

THE chairman of the Green Party has admitted people living along the shoreline of Cork harbour may have concerns about eight proposed wind turbines which could be as high as 139 metres.

Four major healthcare firms are proposing to build the turbines in an effort to slash their energy costs.

Centocor, DePuy, GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis yesterday completed a two-day public information meeting on their plans, which was held at the National Maritime College of Ireland in Ringaskiddy.

A spokesman for the companies said at present they were looking at two types of wind turbines.

One type is 119 metres high when a blade is pointing upright, and the other will be larger at 139 metres.

The companies haven’t yet decided on which ones they will use, but will have to do so shortly as they are expected to lodge a planning application with Cork County Council before Christmas.

A planning decision is expected in the late spring of 2011 and the spokesman said that if approved they hope to have the turbines generating electricity by the end of 2012.

The €30 million project would reduce the companies’ energy costs by an estimated 30% and they are seeking to generate renewable energy because of the high cost of electricity in this country.

In total the four healthcare companies employ 4,000 people in the lower harbour.

Senator Boyle, who attended one of the two-day information sessions, said he thought it was a good idea for the companies involved – who call themselves the Cork Harbour Energy Group – to get hooked up to renewable energy.

“Local people will either like or dislike this. I suppose one of the concerns will be about their effect on the visual environment.

“But I think the visual impact will be less than some people imagine, especially as the wind turbines will be built away from large residential areas,” Senator Boyle said.

He added that another area of concern was the impact on a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) near the Douglas river.

“However, I am satisfied that this will be overcome in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS),” the senator added.