ESB to dismantle Galway windfarm after planning bid fails

The application had been made after an EU Court of Justice ruling found that Ireland had breached environmental regulations in relation to the windfarm’s construction. File picture

The ESB is to dismantle its windfarm at Derrybrien in south Galway after it failed to secure retrospective planning permission for the project.

The decision follows last month’s ruling by An Bord Pleanála which turned down retrospective planning permission for the project.

The application had been made after an EU Court of Justice ruling found that Ireland had breached environmental regulations in relation to the windfarm’s construction.

State inaction on an initial EU Court of Justice ruling had resulted in a lump sum fine of €5m and daily fines of €15,000 being levied on Ireland from 2019, amounting to over €17m to date, until the situation was resolved.

The 70-turbine windfarm, which cost €60m to build, was one of the largest onshore when commissioned in 2006.

It supplies about 1% of electricity needs nationally and is one of 26 onshore windfarms run by the ESB and subsidiaries.

Located on the Slieve Aughty mountains, it has been mired in controversy since a landslide killed thousands of fish and engulfed forestry and farmland during its construction in 2003.

After An Bord Pleanála’s ruling on February 4, the ESB paused generation of electricity from Derrybrien.

“Following careful consideration, ESB has now decided to decommission the windfarm,” the company said yesterday.

“ESB will now prepare for the decommissioning of the 70 wind turbines in accordance with planning laws and regulations.”

An ESB spokesman said no date has as yet been set for the decommissioning — which was to have occurred in 2040 if the farm had been allowed to continue operating.

Specialist contractors will have to be engaged, and no cost can be confirmed due to commercial sensitivities, the spokesman said.

“We will engage with the local community on our plans ,” the spokesman said.

Martin Collins, of the Friends of Derrybrien Environment,  said: “This is an inevitable decision and there are no winners, but this is the outcome when people didn’t listen and didn’t work with the local community."

An Bord Pleanála had cited “significant effects on the environment” with “permanent residual effects that cannot be fully mitigated” in its reasoning for its decision to refuse retrospective planning approval.

The board had overruled a recommendation in favour of retention by its own inspector.

The European Commission had found that Ireland had not properly implemented directive 85/337 on environmental impact assessment in approving permission for the project.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar had said after An Bord Pleanála’s decision that the ESB must either “take a case to the court”, or “demolish the windfarm”.

After the ESB paused electricity generation last month, Independent Galway/Roscommon TD Michael Fitzmaurice said it was “madness” in the context of rising energy prices.