tarboat's photos with the keyword: shannonbridge

Old and new peat fired power stations of the Irish Electricity Supply Board at Shannonbridge on the River Shannon. The old Shannonbridge plant at the right was closed after an accident in February 2004 when a high-pressure pipe at the plant exploded. The plant was already to be decommissioned as part of the planned closure of all six peat-fuelled stations in the country at that time. It was demolished in 2009. The station used three generating units to produce electricity, each with its own boiler, turbine and generator. Units 1 and 2 were commissioned in 1965 and 1976 respectively, each with a capacity of 40MW, while a more modern unit 3 was commissioned in 1982 at a capacity of 45MW. Subsequently in 2004 the new 150 megawatt West Offaly station at the left was opened and this was supplied with around 1 million tons of peat annually by Bord na Mona. On 11 December 2020 the station ceased all power production after permission to continue burning peat was refused. This plant housed a single boiler/turbine unit with an electrical output of 135 MW. 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.

The 150 megawatt West Offaly power station was supplied each year with around 1 million tons of peat from the bogs in the region around Shannonbridge. Adjacent to the power station the narrow gauge railway that brought in the peat crossed the River Shannon on this viaduct. The train is heading away from the power station and back to the bogs for another load. All this has ended with the closure of the power station on December 11, 2020 after permission to continue burning peat was refused.

The 150 megawatt West Offaly power station was supplied each year with around 1 million tons of peat from the bogs in the region around Shannonbridge. Adjacent to the power station the narrow gauge railway that brought in the peat crossed the River Shannon on this viaduct. The train is heading away from the power station and back to the bogs for another load. All this has ended with the closure of the power station on December 11, 2020 after permission to continue burning peat was refused.

Bord na mona Blackwater bog railtour. In July 2008 we arrived in Shannonbridge by boat and tied up on the wharf on a Saturday evening. Having heard about the bog railway tours we wandered into the village to enquire about whether the trains were running on Sunday morning. Entering the crowded Killeen's bar I spotted a couple having a quiet drink sat at the counter of the grocer's shop that formed part of the establishment. As they looked local I approached them and asked if they knew whether the train was running on the next day. The woman laughed for a minute and then told me that we had chosen the right people to ask as her husband was the driver! Needless to say we were given a great trip around the bog in the morning. Something I shall never forget. That was the last year that these tours operated.

Old and new peat fired power stations of the Irish Electricity Supply Board at Shannonbridge. The old plant on the left was closed after an accident in February 2004 when a high-pressure pipe at the plant exploded. The plant was already to be decommissioned as part of the planned closure of all six peat-fuelled stations in the country at that time. Subsequently the new 150 megawatt West Offaly station at the front has been constructed and this is supplied with around 1 million tons of peat annually by Bord na Mona. The old station was demolished in 2008/09 and the new station has until the end of 2020 before shutdown having just been reprieved for a year.

The three remaining Irish peat fired power stations are to be closed in December 2019. This is the old West Offaly power station at Shannonbridge. It was out of use when this photo was taken in 2008, having been replaced by the new station seen at the centre right edge. The old station was demolished during the following year.

Old and new peat fired power stations of the Irish Electricity Supply Board at Shannonbridge on the River Shannon. The old Shannonbridge plant at the right was closed after an accident in February 2004 when a high-pressure pipe at the plant exploded. The plant was already to be decommissioned as part of the planned closure of all six peat-fuelled stations in the country at that time. Subsequently the new 150 megawatt West Offaly station at the front has been constructed and this is supplied with around 1 million tons of peat annually by Bord na Mona. The old station was demolished shortly after the view was taken.

The 150 megawatt West Offaly power station is supplied each year with around 1 million tons of peat from the bogs in the region around Shannonbridge. Here it forms a backdrop to a train of empty peat wagons heading across the River Shannon. The old Shannonbridge power station that stood adjacent to the current plant was demolished early in 2009.