Pat Rabbitte TD, Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources, accompanied by Paul Kehoe TD, Minister for State at the Department of Taoiseach, today visited some of the 860 employees currently constructing SSE plc’s new €331m natural gas fuelled CCGT (Combined Cycle Gas Turbine) power plant at Great Island, Co. Wexford.
During the visit, Ministers Rabbitte and Kehoe viewed progress on the construction. This included the installation and commissioning of the 460MW Mitsubishi Heavy Industries gas powertrain, as well as the gas and electricity grid connections to the site. They also met workers on the project, including local contractor firms whose businesses have been sustained by this development.
Around 70% of the 860-strong construction workforce is local to Co. Wexford and neighbouring counties Waterford and Kilkenny. A further 50 full-time employees are working on the commissioning of the new Great Island gas fired power plant, at the existing 240MW heavy fuel oil power station and at SSE’s 27MW Richfield Wind Farm at Bridgetown, Co. Wexford. Around 85% of these full-time SSE employees live locally in Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny.
As part of the project, SSE has also invested €43m in completing a 41km industrial-grade gas pipeline from Bawnlusk, Co. Kilkenny. Developed in partnership with state-owned Gaslink and Bord Gais Networks, this strategic asset is bringing gas for the first time to this part of the South East. In addition to supplying the power station, it has the capacity to attract future industrial development to Co. Wexford.
Pat Rabbitte TD, Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources, said:
“SSE’s investment in Ireland’s newest gas fired power station, here in Co Wexford, is ensuring clean, competitive and secure energy to power our continued economic recovery. When commissioned, it will add another plant into the mix for the all island competitive market and further add to competition. I also hope that this plant and the new gas pipeline that SSE has completed in partnership with Gaslink and Bord Gais Networks, will be a key enabler to attracting further new employment to the South East.”
SSE’s €331million investment at Great Island is a further vote of confidence by the FTSE Top 50 listed company in the Irish economy. Since it first entered the Irish energy market in 2008 with the acquisition of renewable energy developer Airtricity, SSE plc has invested €2 billion into the future of Irish energy, equivalent to just over €1m every day for the last five years.
Paul Kehoe TD, Minister for State at the Department of Taoiseach, said:
“In turbulent times, SSE has been an important local employer here in the South-East, particularly for the construction sector. It’s investment in the gas pipeline, also means that Co. Wexford can now seek to attract other major industry to the area and I look forward to working with our State Agencies in pursuing this.”
Due to be commissioned in late 2014, the modern and efficient 460MW gas-fired power plant will be Ireland’s cleanest and most efficient power station and will replace the existing 240MW fuel oil unit at the site, significantly decarbonising electricity generation in the all-island Single Electricity Market.
SSE’s Project Manager for the development Peter Gavigan said:
“Our investment at Great Island is making an important contribution to local jobs and local construction firms. It also represents SSE’s most significant investment yet into the Irish energy market.
Since SSE entered the Irish energy market in 2008, we have invested €2billion into Ireland’s energy market. This means SSE is not only Ireland’s number one energy investor, but it is also one of the largest single investors in the Irish economy.”