Application for a Development at Tarbert under section 4 of the Development (Emergency Electricity Generation) Act 2022

An application was received by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on 17 February 2023 from SSE for a designated development at Tarbert Power Station site, Co. Kerry, under section 4 of the Development (Emergency Electricity Generation) Act 2022 for an approval under section 7 of the Act.

In accordance with the requirements of Regulation 6(1) of the Development (Emergency Electricity Generation) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 719 of 2022), the Minister hereby also provides notice of the following.

1. The designated development is exempt from the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive in accordance with subsection (1) of section 5 of the Act of 2022, as follows:

a. Without prejudice to the generality of section 3, the designated development shall be exempt from the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive on the basis that the designated development is an exceptional case for the purposes of Article 2(4) of that Directive and the application of those provisions would adversely affect the purpose, referred to in section 2(1), of the designated development

2. The Minister has arranged an assessment will be carried out by the An Bord Pleanála (the Board) under section 5(2) of the Act of 2022 for the purpose of that section and for ensuring that the objectives of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive are met and that an Environmental Report has been prepared in respect of the application.

3. The Minister has further arranged an assessment will be carried out by the Board under section 6(1) of the Act of 2022 and, where a Natura Impact Statement is included with the application, that a Natura Impact Statement has been prepared in respect of the designated development.

4. The assessments referred to in paragraphs (2) and (3) will include an assessment referred to in section 6(2) of the Act of 2022, and

5. Submissions or observations in relation to the likely main effects of the designated development on the environment or on a European Site and, where a Natura Impact Statement is included with the application, the likely adverse effects of the designated development on the integrity of a European Site, may be made during the period of 20 February 2023 to 23 March 2023 (inclusive of both days) to the Board in writing or by electronic means to the following:

a. In electronic form: sids@pleanala.ie

b. In writing to: The Secretary, An Bord Pleanála, 64 Marlborough Street, Dublin 1, D01 V902

6. Any submission or observation made shall state the name, address and email address (if any) of the person making the submission or observation and indicate the address or email address to which any correspondence relating to the application should be sent.

SITE DETAILS Tarbert Power Station, Tarbert, in the townland of Tarbert Island, Co. Kerry.

The application documents can be found below.

Decision of the Minister under Section 7 subsection (1)(c) of the Development (Emergency Electricity Generation) Act 2022

Having considered the application made to him under section 4 of the Development (Emergency Electricity Generation) Act 2022 (the 2022 Act) for an approval under section 7 of the 2022 Act, and having taken into account the assessments carried out by An Bord Pleanála (the Board) under sections 5(2) and 6(1) of that Act and the conditions recommended by the Board arising from those assessments, and having regard to the purpose referred to in section 2(1) of the 2022 Act, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications is satisfied that it is appropriate to approve the application for Tarbert Power Station, Tarbert, Co. Kerry pursuant to section 7(1)(c) of the 2022 Act subject to conditions.

This designated development is exempt from the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive in accordance with subsection (1) of section 5 the Act on the basis that the designated developments are exceptional cases for the purposes of Article 2(4) of that Directive and the application of those provisions would adversely affect the purpose of the designated development, which development is intended to be part of the delivery of the installation of up to 450 megawatts of temporary emergency electricity generation plant, site development and works ancillary to that installation, and the operation of the plant, which development is required urgently for the purpose of ensuring and protecting security of electricity supply by Winter of 2023 to 2024. The Tarbert development is expected to generate approximately 150 megawatts (net output) of temporary emergency electricity.

Further details of the Minister’s approval can be found below.