Offaly County Council grants permission for battery energy storage plant at Cloniffeen Shannonbridge, Co. Offaly

In context

It is one of 5 battery storage applications Offaly County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 58 nationally. Of the 72 such applications decided by councils in the past three years, 78% were granted.

What happens next

The applicant, or anyone who made a submission on the application, can appeal the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks of 6 November 2024. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

Verbatim from the Offaly County Council register. This is the source for every figure in the story above.

The proposed development of area 7.34 ha, will consist of a battery energy storage system (BESS) located within a fenced compound and will (subject to detailed design, commercial and technical considerations) comprise of: Demolition of 4 no. prefabricated structures (c. 876 sq.m total); Up to 768 no. battery energy storage enclosures, organised in approx. 36 no. bays. Each battery enclosure will incorporate battery packs as well as power electronics, battery management systems, cooling units and fire suppression systems. The battery bays will be 5m wide x 3m high and vary in length from 23.8m to 33.7m; 11 no. Medium Voltage (MV) Skids (c. 6m x 10.2m x 2.5m); Control Building (c. 285.3 sq.m); Ancillary plant and equipment comprising of: an emergency diesel generator plinth (c. 28.7 sq.m); two spare parts containers (c. 29.7 sq.m); a fire fighting water tank and pump house (c. c. 62 sq.m); an underground oil separator and collection pit; customer transformer compound including a bunded main step-up transformer (c. 141 sq.m) and firewalls, and High Voltage (HV) switchgear, linking with an underground cable; and auxiliary transformers (c. 4m x 4m x 3m); Operation and Maintenance site office including welfare facilities (c. 27.9 sq.m); All services connections including electrical, water and wastewater and connections to existing surface water drains; 2 no. lightning monopoles (c. 18m high); A c. 135m long, c. 5m tall concrete retaining wall to the east of the site; and All other ancillary site clearance and development works including provision of biodiversity landscaping; areas of hardstanding; internal access roads; lighting; laydown area; fencing and access gates (c. 4m in height); car parking; and connections to site services networks. Planning permission is being sought for a duration of 10-years. WOP Station is licenced by the Environmental Protection Agency under an industrial emissions (IE) licence [Ref. P0611-02]. A Natura Impact Statement (NIS) is submitted with the planning application.