Moneypoint power station to get €368m overhaul

Moneypoint power station is to receive a €368m modernisation overhaul, it was announced today.

Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Dermot Ahern made the announcement today.

Moneypoint meets about 24% of Ireland’s electricity needs. As a result of EU environmental obligations, it requires the installation of emission-abatement equipment to ensure its continued operation.

The project involves the fitting of environmental equipment at Moneypoint costing €264m. In addition, there will be a substantial refurbishment of the plant costing €104m.

The refurbishment will be carried out in tandem with the environmental installation and the aim is to have the project completed by January 2008 in line with EU directive requirements.

The approval of the project secures the future of the plant into the next decade.

Minister Ahern said: “The Moneypoint project will ensure that coal continues to be an important element of our electricity generation fuel mix and that our dependence on natural gas is kept at a sustainable level.

"It also means that we will have gone a significant way to meeting our emissions reduction obligations in regard to sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.”