Tipperary County Council grants permission for battery energy storage plant 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 applicant, or anyone who made a submission on the application, can appeal the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks of 13 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 Tipperary County Council register. This is the source for every figure in the story above.

a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) development to 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. 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