Another new windfarm proposed near Cappoquin

The proposed construction of a windfarm in West Waterford has been deemed to be of strategic importance by An Bord Pleanála, and an application for permission to the semi-state agency is expected to follow.

EMPower, the applicant, submitted a proposal to construct 12 wind turbines in West Waterford under a pre-application consultation in early April. It is proposed that the turbines are to be located in the Ballynaguilkee Upper, Broemountain, Corradoon, Dyrick, Lickoran, Lickoranmountain, Lisleagh, Lisleaghmountain, Lyrattin and Scartmountain area, northeast of Cappoquin.

According to the application, the turbines are to be of approximately 6.2 megawatts, with a combined output of approximately 74.4 megawatts. Turbines proposed for the site would have an overall tip height of up to 185m and a rotar diameter of 162m.

Included in the proposal is the construction of a 110kV sub-station on the site with a grid connection to Dungarvan 100KV substation to the southeast.

An inspector’s report carried out on the proposed development notes that the prospective applicant has since increased the proposal to 13 turbines. The report notes that the main land uses in the area are agriculture and forestry, with residential density low in the vicinity of the site.

Direction from An Bord Pleanála on the pre-application stated that the proposed development is considered to be of ‘strategic importance’.

“An application for permission for the proposed development must therefore be made directly to An Bord Pleanala under section 37E of the Act,” the direction read.

Last month, plans for another 17 wind turbines in the Cappoquin area were also published, applied for by FuturEnergy. The company sought permission from An Bord Pleanala for the proposed Scart Mountain Wind Farm in an area some four kilometres north of Cappoquin, located east of Mount Melleray