SSE green lights new €300m power station in Meath
Platin Power Station will respond to periods of high demand in the Leinster region, providing back-up power to increasing amounts of renewable energy on the system, and will be switched on and off as demand peaks.
"Delivery of Platin Power Station represents a total capital investment of up to €300m and follows SSE's decision, in February 2025, to progress Tarbert Next Generation Power Station in Co. Kerry to construction," a statement from SSE said.
SSE's site in Tarbert in Kerry is being upgraded into a next generation power station. The new station to be built in Meath will provide back-up power during peak demand.
Limerick-headquartered Atlantic Projects Company (APC) has been confirmed as lead partner on the project. APC is already working on the Tarbert station in Kerry. Construction activity at Platin is expected to commence this autumn, with planned completion in 2028.
The station has planning consent for up to 170MW and will be powered by Siemens Energy SGT-800 turbines. The plant has been designed with the capability to run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), which is a more sustainable biofuel.
SSE will also be seeking consent to run the station on natural gas, in addition to HVO, to fully utilise the plant's capability to meet Ireland's energy needs. The turbine technology also has the potential to convert to hydrogen when infrastructure, fuel availability and policy frameworks allow. "This forward-looking approach underscores SSE's commitment to decarbonising its flexible power generation fleet," said a company statement.
'We're pleased to be delivering a new power station at Platin, creating new and enduring jobs in the local area, while providing much needed flexible power generation to support security of supply and Ireland's net zero ambitions," said SSE Thermal managing director Finlay McCutcheon. 'With two major investment decisions taken so far in 2025, totalling up to €600m, SSE is clear in its commitment to investing right across the energy system in Ireland."
SSE Thermal is already working with Siemens Energy on a multi-million-pound co-investment to deliver gas turbine technology capable of running on 100% hydrogen by 2030.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Irish Independent
Irish web design firm Granite Digital buys Rupert Murdoch's Zesty
The deal is expected to boost Granite's annual revenues to about €20m this year. Last November, Granite had expected to generate turnover of more than €18m in 2025. One of the companies behind Granite Digital posted a €433,000 profit in 2023, the last year for which accounts are publicly available. News UK publishes titles including The Times, The Sun and The Sunday Times, and also owns Virgin Radio in the UK. Scott Taunton, executive vice-president of News UK's broadcasting division, said the sale of Zesty to Granite will help the agency achieve its long-term growth potential. Zesty's staff will join Granite's team of digital specialists in its offices in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Belfast, New York and Dubai. Granite Digital was founded in 2009. It provides services including web design and development, digital marketing and search engine optimisation. Audi, Intel, Red Bull, Dalata Hotel Group, Lidl and Pepsi are among its clients. Zesty provides web design and development services. It was founded in 1996. Its clients include Bank of Ireland, Belfast City Council, Power NI, Rentokil and Phoenix Natural Gas. Granite said the acquisition of Zesty reinforces the firm's position as Ireland's largest independent digital agency, and expands its geographic footprint. The combined group has 170 employees and more than 1,200 clients. Conor Buckley, the CEO of Granite Digital, said the acquisition of Zesty is another 'transformative milestone' for the company. 'This deal strengthens our ability to deliver end-to-end digital solutions while expanding our technical expertise and geographic reach,' he said. Granite Digital has made a number of acquisitions in the past. Last year, it bought Limerick-based data science and digital marketing firm Coalface, and Dublin-based digital design agency Wondr. That added companies including An Post and the ESB to Granite's client list. In 2023, Granite bought Galway-based digital design firm Armour, and acquired a majority stake in New York-based creative agency LCM247. In June 2024, the company announced plans to create 50 jobs in New York by 2027 as it expands its business there.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Irish Times
Irish unit of Analog Devices pays out dividends of $5.4bn
The main Irish arm of US-based semiconductor manufacturer Analog Devices paid out combined dividends of $5.4 billion (€4.7 billion) this year and in 2024. New accounts show that Limerick-based Analog Devices International UC paid out the dividends as profits decreased by 72 per cent to $487.78 million in the 12 months to the end of November 2nd last. The drop in profits arose mainly from non-cash amortisation costs rising from $2.04 billion to $2.73 billion. Revenues increased by 4 per cent to $8.55 billion during the 12-month period. In May 2023, the company announced plans to build a €630 million facility in Co Limerick, adding 600 jobs to its Irish workforce. READ MORE The investment at its European regional headquarters in the Raheen Business Park involved the construction of a 45,000sq ft research, development, and manufacturing facility. The directors state that the results for 2024 'were in line with expectations'. They state that dividends of $3.18 billion were paid during 2024 and in a post balance sheet event the company paid further dividends of $2.25 billion to Analog Devices Limerick UC. Numbers employed increased by 131 to 1,757 during 2024. Staff was made up of 741 in manufacturing, 634 in engineering, 308 in marketing and 74 in administration as staff costs marginally increased to $195.8 million. The company recorded post-tax profits of $398.7 million after incurring a corporation tax charge of $89 million. Sounding an upbeat note, the directors state that 'our diversified business model combined with our leading technology portfolio position the company to deliver sustainable long-term growth in the years ahead'. The directors state that its R&D spend last year totalled $1 billion - up from a spend of $615.2 million in 2023. Directors' pay totalled $2.19 million made up of emoluments of $715,000, $1.42 million on long-term incentives and $54,000 in pension contributions. At the end of December, the firm had shareholder funds of $26.74 billion. The company's cash funds increased from €163 million to €570.73 million.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Irish Times
Iarnród Éireann appoints Shannon Airport Group CEO Mary Considine as its new CEO
Shannon Airport Group chief executive Mary Considine is to leave her role to become CEO of Iarnród Éireann later this year. Ms Considine will succeed Jim Meade at Iarnród Éireann following his retirement. She will leave her job at Shannon Airport Group after six years at the helm. The Shannon group's deputy chief executive Ray O'Driscoll will assume the role of chief executive on an interim basis as a recruitment process takes place. Ms Considine is currently a director of Ibec and sits on its audit and risk committee, while she is also a director of Limerick Chamber of Commerce, as well as a trustee and governing authority member of Mary Immaculate College in Limerick. READ MORE Her tenure at Shannon Airport Group was marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, and she has been credited with leading its recovery from the crisis to deliver its highest passenger levels in 15 years. [ Shannon Airport traffic increases 7% in first six months of 2025 Opens in new window ] 'She led the restructuring of the group to position it for growth, providing vital strategic national infrastructure, enabling essential air connectivity for the country, developing high quality commercial property solutions and growing the economic impact of our activities,' Shannon Airport Group said. Iarnród Éireann chairman Steve Murphy said Ms Considine would lead the company's 5,300-strong team and work to realise its ambition of delivering an €8 billion national programme of capital investment projects, which is aimed at doubling current passenger numbers by 2030. She will also be charged with progressing the group's port development and plans for an offshore renewable hub at Rosslare Europort in Co Wexford. 'Our railway, at the heart of Ireland's sustainable transport network, as well as Rosslare Europort, are critical national assets, and I look forward to meeting and working with the team at Iarnród Éireann to deliver on the company's huge ambition during such a transformative era,' said Ms Considine.
