ESB unveil plant closure plans

Three of the electricity network's oldest power stations are to close by 2010, the ESB today confirmed.

The move will reduce the company's dominance of the market by almost a half following an agreement with the energy regulator, and paves the way for the development of a new power plant in Co Cork.

The stations affected will be Great Island in Wexford, the Poolbeg Thermal in Dublin and Tarbert in Kerry.

An ESB spokesman said there would be no forced redundancies arising from the move, although hundreds of staff are expected to be affected.

"The Board of ESB has approved the closure of 1,300MW of Power Generation plant by 2010," a spokesman said.

"The approval meets with the terms set out by the CER (Commission for Energy Regulation) and the Minister for Energy as part of ESB's authorisation to construct a new 430MW station at Aghada, Co Cork.

"This programme will reduce ESB's power generation's share of the Single Energy Market to circa 27% by 2010 (ESB Power Generation's market share in the Irish market currently stands at 44% by production).

"Following today's Board approval, ESB management will continue to engage with trade unions around the future strategy for power generation.

"ESB management will also meet with the CER to discuss a timeline around the proposed programme between now and 2010.

"There will be no forced redundancies arising from this approval," he added.

The steam turbine at Marina in Cork is also to close, but the larger gas turbine there will remain open.

All of the selected power stations have been in operation for between 30 and 40 years.

Around 350 staff will be affected by the move, and a spokesman said they would be accommodated elsewhere in the company, retrained, or will accept voluntary redundancies.