Gas Turbine Power Plant April 2009

Coshla / Lisheenkyle Residents oppose Gas Turbine

At a meeting in the Raheen Woods Hotel on Thursday, March l9th, Mr. Jim Hodgins, Director of Constant Energy Ltd, refused repeated requests by residents and local political representatives to withdraw its planning application currently with Galway Co. Co. to erect a Gas Turbine Power Plant at Batterspark, Cosla.

In very heated exchanges that lasted nearly three hours between Mr. Hodgins and those present, Residents expressed their dismay and outrage that Constant Energy only held the public ‘information’ meeting six days before the closing date for submissions and objections. Further, the answers to their questions regarding the dangers to the community and environment from emissions, water discharge from the plant. noise pollution and monitoring of the plant were. to their minds. most vague and unsatisfactory.

Noreen Rabbitte, who lives beside a similar plant in Tynagh, said that the Cosla plant would experience the same green smoke they have had to live with since the Tynagh plant began operations. She had no faith in the Environmental Protection Agency in protecting people who lived near these plants. Mr Hodgins replied that there would be no green smoke and that the plant would meet all the standards set by the EPA.

The politicians present, Mr Frank Fahey T.D. and Senator Fidelma Healy-Eames. both advised and repeatedly requested that the planning application should be withdrawn and that Constant Energy should enter into meaningful consultation with residents. This was followed by a unanimous show of hands from all residents supporting the Withdrawal of the Planning Application. Mr Hodgins replied that there was a time scale involved in providing electricity to the national grid, especially at peak demand periods, and that Constant Energy would adhere to that schedule by proceeding with its planning application. He also said that the construction of the plant would provide much needed employment. In fact, the plant would provide 4 jobs, if it ever became operational. One lady said to Mr. Hodgins that ‘your priority is profit but ours is health.’

Mr. Fahey stated that in his opinion the politicians on Galway Co. Co. would never rezone the land from agricultural to industrial. As the time approached eleven o’clock and to an almost empty room. Mr Paul Kelly, Environmental Consultant with Mott MacDonald who are employed by Constant Energy, said that ‘taking all the merits of what was proposed, there were no health concerns with the development.’