THE PROMOTER behind a new €200 million wind farm in west Clare has said the project will not proceed unless there is an overhaul of the grid connection system for wind farms.
Director of West Clare Renewable Energy Ltd, Pádraig Howard said: “It is as bleak as that. If there is no reform, the project won’t proceed.”
Mr Howard was speaking yesterday as An Bord Pleanála released documents confirming that the inspector in the case recommended that planning be refused for the development or that additional information be sought from the applicant.
The recommendation to refuse was not accepted by the board and on Monday, the appeals board gave the green light for the turbine development at Mount Callan.
Mr Howard described the decision as “bittersweet as we don’t have a grid connection”.
If the wind farm does get built, 30 farm families who own the 3,000 acres of upland at Mount Callan are to share a €23 million windfall over 20 years.
Mr Howard said that 150 to 200 construction jobs will be created during the construction phase.
