NIMBYs should not be allowed to scupper power plant project
Our NIMBYs (Not-In-My-BackYard) astound me. Nobody wants anything built near them anymore. The NIMBYs seek to build their houses in areas of seclusion where they can live idyllic lives away from the common citizen and demand that their personal needs take precedence over the common good.
However, these same people still want a reliable supply of electricity to power their TVs, computers and other hi-tech gadgetry and to keep them enlightened and warm in winter. At the same time they expect some other community to accept a power station without demur.
The latest generation of power station turbo-generators are most efficient compared to what went before. Modern combined cycle power plants (CCPPs) give more than 55% efficiency.
Compare this to the 37% average of ESB plants. Even the best of the larger of conventional ESB plants (burning natural gas, oil or coal) are pushed to achieve 40% efficiency. The first set of the ESB’s combined cycle plants were commissioned more than 20 years ago and this equipment is run by ‘old’ technology at this stage. The technology associated with these ageing plants has been greatly superseded by advances in design and better turbine and compressor construction materials.
An example is the ability of gas turbine (GT) blading to withstand extremely high temperatures (which contributes to increased efficiency and higher output) thanks to space-age research and developments in the prevention of the overheating of space modules on re-entry through the earth’s atmosphere by the application of specialised heat-resistant ceramics.
The basic requirements of modern CCPPs include an adequate high pressure supply of gas fuel as close as possible to the plant; the availability of water for the cooling systems and for use in the boiler and steam turbine, and proximity to a high voltage (HV) power line ensuring there will be no ‘long-runs’ of 220 kV lines from the plant to the nearest HV sub-station.
The site at Little Island has all of these essentials, and more.
To place the same power station in a remote location would be costly and wasteful.
The transmission of electricity over long distances leads to a ‘line loss’ of up to 5%. Ideally, a plant should be constructed close to a zone of high demand, like Cork and Little Island industrial estate.
The 400 mw that would be generated from the Little Island CCPP would use only the same amount of gas fuel as a certain conventional power plant further down Cork harbour with a maximum output of 270 mw. This could be classified as up to 130mw of free electricity for the nation.
Eirgrid, the national grid operator, has several ‘open cycle’ gas turbines available for use.
These were installed for ‘peaking’ use only (ie, only brought on when there is a short period of high demand), but they are being used increasingly to replace power plant on forced or scheduled outage.
The efficiency of these ‘simple cycle’ machines is less than half what the proposed Little Island CCPP would be.
In fact, with the ever increasing numbers of ‘amber alerts’ on the national grid it is only a matter of time before there will be extended blackout periods for many consumers — most likely during the coldest period of winter.
It is conceivable there could be loss of life during such periods — when there would not be enough electrical power to go around.
Another factor that should be taken into account is the production of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide.
The greater efficiency of the Little Island CCPP would have contributed to a sharp reduction in carbon dioxide generated by our electricity producers with the replacement of the ‘heavy’ fossil fuels for Eirgrid’s requirements.
Also, with the latest combustion system installed in the new plant, there would be a large reduction in other atmospheric pollutants such as nitrous oxide and carbon monoxide.
The replacement of coal- and oil-fired electricity generation by the new CCPP would also eliminate a lot of our sulphurous oxides, as the proposed Little Island CCPP would produce no such pollutant. The reduction in all these power plant effluents would surely make some contribution to better general health.
One major consideration relating to the construction of the Little Island CCPP would be the utilisation of a valuable native fuel source — natural gas from the Corrib gas field, which is also long overdue.
The NIMBYs in that isolated part of Ireland must also be made fully aware of the greater good that would result from delivery of this resource without further delay.
Finally, I wish to point out that I have no affiliation to any group proposing the building of the Little Island power plant
Tom Baldwin
Rostellan
Midleton
Co Cork
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