Offaly County Council grants permission for battery energy storage plant at COOLCOR AND CLONIN, RHODE, Co. Offaly

In context

It is one of 5 battery storage applications Offaly County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 59 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 21 July 2026. 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.

PL2/20/238 FOR AN ENERGY STORAGE FACILITY DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SYSTEM SUPPORT SERVICES TO THE ELECTRICITY GRID ON A 2.7-HECTARE SITE. THE DEVELOPMENT WILL COMPRISE: (i) AN OPEN AREA BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM (BESS) COMPOUND (AREA OF 3,407 SQM) CONTAINING 16 NO. BATTERY ENCLOSURES (13.716M LONG X 2.90M WIDE X 3.796M HIGH), 16 NO. MEDIUM VOLTAGE POWER STATION (MVPS) ENCLOSURES (12.192M LONG X 2.438M WIDE X 3.396M HIGH), (ii) SYNCHRONOUS CONDENSER COMPOUND (AREA OF 4,706SQM) CONTAINING SYNCHRONOUS CONDENSER BUILDING (30.0M LONG X 18.0M WIDE X 12.15M HIGH), CONTROLS BUILDING (12.486M LONG 12.192M WIDE X 4.865M HIGH), ASSOCIATED BUNDED TRANSFORMERS AND ELECTRICAL PLANT, (iii) ELECTRICAL SUBSTATION (AREA OF 2,325SQM) CONTAINING CUSTOMER BUILDING (10.032M LONG X 7.627M WIDE X 6.169M HIGH), EIRGRID BUILDING (13.507M LONG X 12.509M WIDE X 7.577M HIGH), AND ELECTRICAL PLANT AND BUNDED TRANSFORMER WHICH WILL ELECTRICALLY CONNECT THE DEVELOPMENT TO THE EXISITING DERRYION 110KV SUBSTATION LOCATED ON LANDS ADJOINING THE SITE TO THE SOUTH , (iv) CONTROL BUILDING (17.075M LONG X 5.830M WIDE X 5.960M HIGH), AND (v) ALL ANCILLARY DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING; LIGHTING MAST PROTECTION, PERIMETER PALISADE FENCING WITH ACCESS GATE AT PRIMARY VEHICLE SITE ENTRANCE WHICH WILL CONNECT TO THE EXISTING ROADS OF THE ADJACENT RHODE BUSINESS PARK PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE R400, LANDSCAPING, LIGHTING,CAR PARKING, INTERNAL ACCESS ROADS AND ALL CIVIL ENGINEERING WORKS FOR THE DISPOSAL OF FOUL AND SURFACE WATER. A NATURA IMPACT STATEMENT (NIS) HAS BEEN PREPARED AND ACCOMPANIES THIS PLANNING APPLICATION