Work has begun on a new gas fired power plant in south Roscommon.
Bord Gáis Energy and its parent company, Centrica plc, have started the long-term investment project in Ireland.
Over €250m has been approved by the companies for the construction of two innovative new power plants, one of which is located in Monksland and the other in Profile Park in Dublin.
When completed, the new plants combined will provide 200MW of flexible gas-fired power generation; enough power to keep 100,000 homes fully powered all year round. The power stations can run on natural gas and hydrogen mix, with the ability to convert to 100% hydrogen in the future.
Clearance works have now commenced at the Athlone site and the full construction and design tender competitions are also in progress with multiple tenderers participating. Bord Gais says the plants can be easily switched on and off as demand peaks, helping to make Ireland's energy supply more stable and secure.
They are capable of moving from a standing start to full power generation inside six minutes. Both the power plants in Monksland and Dublin are expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
