More than 400 jobs will be created during the building of two peat-fired power stations at Shannonbridge in Offaly and Lanesboro in Longford, according to the ESB. Planning permission for the stations was announced this week.
A substantial number of these workers will come from the midlands, according to project director Mr Tom Daly: "Over 50 per cent will be employed by Irish companies and we expect that a considerable number will be sourced locally." There would also be spin-offs for local businesses during the 18-month construction phase.
The opening of the state-of-the-art fluidised peat plants will mean the agreed closure of the existing six plants in Ferbane, Rhode, Cahirciveen, Bellacorrick, Shannonbridge and Lanesboro. These six plants employ about 500 people while the two new plants will employ about 80.
"It's all part of a tripartite agreement between the ESB, the Department of Public Enterprise and the unions," project manager Mr Ronan McCoy said. "The six stations were coming to an end of their natural lives." Unions are now in negotiation with the ESB over redundancies.
Construction contracts for the £200 million project should be awarded early next year and work could then begin within six months. The stations are expected to be running by 2004 and will have the combined capacity to power up to 200,000 homes. They will use more than two million tonnes of peat a year and will have a yearly fuel bill of £30 million.
"These plants will produce about 40 per cent more electricity per tonne of peat. They are very efficient," said Mr McCoy.
