Kilshane Energy lodges plans for new 680MW power plant in north Dublin

Gordon Deegan

Kilshane Energy has lodged plans for a 680MW power plant for a site at Kilshane 2km northwest of the M50 in north Dublin.

A planning report by JSA Planning lodged with the application states that the ‘Flexible Peaking Plant’ is “to provide a reliable source of backup generation for operating in times of high electricity demand and low renewable electricity supply”.

JSA Planning said: "These peaking plants are crucial to avoid power outages and ensuring the security of electricity supply in a grid with increased renewable sources of energy."

Already Kilshane Energy has secured planning permission for its €250 million Phase One of its scheme which involves a 293MW Open Cycle Gas Turbine plant that is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2028.

Now, in the new Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) plan lodged for Phase Two directly with An Comisiún Pleanála they show that Kilshane Energy’s plans comprises Gas Turbine Power Generation Stations, with an output of up to 340 Megawatts (MW) each, equating to a total output of up to 680MW.

Kilshane Energy is part of the ­Northern Ireland-based and family-owned LCC Group, whose businesses include Go Power.

Founded by Michael Loughran, LCC Group recorded pre-tax profits of £35.7 million on revenues of £1.11 billion in the 12 months to the end of March 2025 and paid out dividends of £89.76 million during that year.

Kilshane Energy owns a 67-acre site at Kilshane in Dublin 11 and construction work has commenced on Phase One employing 200 construction staff.

The construction phase on the new application will result in an additional 50 construction jobs, bringing the total number of construction staff on-site to 250 during the peak overlapping period.

Construction work on Phase 2 is planned to commence in the first quarter of 2027 and is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2029 and the development is anticipated to become operational in the fourth quarter of 2029.

A letter from JSA Planning with the SID application explains that its planned ‘Flexible Peaking Plant’ is a Gas Turbine Power Generation Station “that can quickly dispatch power to balance fluctuating electricity demand in the grid due to intermittent renewable supplies”.

The letter states that the proposed development “will act as a reliable source of backup generation when the system margins are tight”.

JSA Planning states that the new 'Flexible Peaking Plant' is forecast to displace the running of existing, higher carbon emitting units such as oil-fired units. By displacing higher emitting units, the proposed development is expected to provide a reduction in the level of carbon emissions.

The letter states that this short-term displacement conforms with overall goals both of achieving targets for reduced emissions and also increasing the generation capacity of the grid to ensure security of supply.

The letter states that “the flexible technology chosen, will help facilitate a higher penetration of renewable generation being dispatched onto the system”.

JSA Planning state that the proposals "would assist in achieving a Key Target set out in the Climate Action Plan 2025 to provide new flexible gas plants to provide at least 2GW by 2030".

Third parties have until July 21st to make submissions to ACP.