West Offaly Power Station

{{Short description|Peat-fired power station in Ireland}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox power station

|name = West Offaly Power Station

|image = IMG WestOffalyPower5777.jpg

|image_caption =

|country = Ireland

|location = Shannonbridge

| coordinates = {{coord|53|16|22|N|08|02|20|W|type:landmark_region:IE|display=inline,title}}

|owner = Electricity Supply Board

|status = Closed 2020

|th_fuel_primary = Peat

|th_combined_cycle =

|ps_electrical_capacity= 150 MWe

|commissioned = July 2004

|decommissioned =

}}

The West Offaly Power Station was a large peat-fired 135 MW power station in Shannonbridge from 2005 to 2020, in Ireland. The station was capable of generating up to {{nowrap|153 MWe}} of power, thus ranking as the largest peat-fired power station in the country.{{Citation|title=ESB Power Generation|url=http://www.esb.ie/downloads/about_esb/west_offaly.pdf |format=PDF|accessdate=2010-05-02}}{{Citation|title=Peat power in Ireland|url=http://www.fwc.com/publications/tech_papers/files/PeatPowerIrishWay.pdf |format=PDF|accessdate=2010-05-02}} The power station was constructed adjacent to (and as a replacement of) the ageing {{nowrap|125 MWe}} peat Shannonbridge Power Station, which operated in stages from 1965 to 2003, and demolished in 2005.{{cite web |title=Shannonbridge |url=https://esbarchives.ie/portfolio/shannonbridge/ |website=ESB Archives |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211132707/https://esbarchives.ie/portfolio/shannonbridge/ |archive-date=11 February 2022 |date=1 March 2016 |url-status=live}}

The station directly employed approximately forty full-time staff with additional contract and part-time staff. The station further supports employment in the Semi State Bord na Móna which supplied West Offaly with milled peat from the surrounding bogs.

As part of its social employment mandate, the station received public service obligation support until 2019.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}} On 11 December 2020 the station ceased all power production after permission to continue burning peat was refused.{{cite news |last1=O'Sullivan |first1=Kathleen |title=West Offaly Power Station closure: ‘A final plea to ensure reason and sense prevails’ |url=https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/west-offaly-power-station-closure-a-final-plea-to-ensure-reason-and-sense-prevails/ |access-date=15 May 2021 |work=Agriland |date=11 December 2020}} Although local groups and leaders hoped that the plant would be converted to alternative use, the plant's owner has announced that the plant will be demolished and the site remediated to comply with the power plant licenses.{{cite news |last1=staff |title=ESB to demolish West Offaly Power Station |url=https://www.offalyindependent.ie/2020/01/24/esb-to-demolish-west-offaly-power-station/ |access-date=15 May 2021 |work=Offaly Independent |date=24 January 2020}}

A hybrid 97 MW / 170 MWh synchronous condenser / battery storage power station grid stability plant started construction at the site in 2022, expected to complete by 2024 a cost of €130 million.{{cite web |last1=Murray |first1=Cameron |title=Construction starts on 170MWh hybrid energy storage project in Ireland |url=https://www.energy-storage.news/construction-starts-on-170mwh-hybrid-energy-storage-project-in-ireland/ |website=Energy Storage News |date=7 September 2022}}{{cite web |title=Lanesboro and Shannonbridge power stations could have 'central role' during energy emergencies - Minister Eamon Ryan |url=https://www.longfordleader.ie/news/national-news/676610/midlands-power-stations-could-have-central-role-during-energy-emergencies-minister-eamon-ryan.html |website=www.longfordleader.ie |language=en}}