STATE-OWNED energy group Bord na Móna has received planning permission from Offaly County Council for a €120 million wind farm at its peat production site in Mountlucas in the county.

The proposed development forms part of Bord na Móna’s long-term strategy to develop a portfolio of generating assets, including wind farms and a complementary flexible thermal plant.

The Mountlucas wind farm will have a generating capacity of 80 megawatts and will be capable of supplying power to up to 45,000 homes.

An application for connection of the wind farm to the national grid has been made to EirGrid.

It is scheduled to get an offer for connection to the system in early 2011.

The wind farm will comprise 32 wind turbines, access trackways, crane hard-standings, underground cables between the turbines and a 110kV electricity substation.

It is expected that the construction of the wind farm will take place over 18 to 24 months and will involve 30 workers employed on the project at peak.

Bord Na Móna said the wind farm would reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 125,000 tonnes each year.

The State-owned company has been involved in milled peat production operations at the Offaly site since the 1950s and peripheral parts of the bog are still used for this purpose. Those areas of the site that are still in active peat production will not be affected by the development of the wind farm, the company said.

The Government has set a target of 40 per cent of power generation from renewable sources by 2020.