Battery energy storage plant proposed at Thurles, Co. Tipperary

In context

It is the only battery storage application Tipperary 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 five-week window for public submissions has closed. The council normally decides within eight weeks of the application being lodged, unless it requests further information, which stops the clock.

The development description, as lodged

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

Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) development which will consist of a new site entrance and access track, site security fencing including a noise acoustic barrier, access gates, BESS enclosures, a BESS intake substation, MV skid, a back-up generator, a monitoring house, an auxiliary transformer, spares containers, CCTV, an onsite toilet, carparking, a temporary construction stage compound area, landscaping and all associated ancillary development services and works, all to be provided within a total overall application boundary of 2.69 ha. Permission is sought for the proposed BESS development for a period of 10 years with an operational period of 40 years. The development is covered by the provisions of the Renewable Energy Directive III (Directive (EU) 2023/2413) and will be subject to a completeness check under Section 34D of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended. When a notice issues in accordance with section 34D(b), the provisions of article 26A of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 to 2025 shall apply. An Appropriate Assessment Screening Report (AASR) and Natura Impact Statement (NIS) has been prepared for this development and submitted with this planning application. A separate application will be submitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála to obtain permission for a 110kV substation on site.