Coillte and ESB secure €64m for Co Cork wind farm

State forestry company Coillte and ESB have secured €64 million in funding for a wind farm in Co Cork that, once operational, will have a capacity to produce electricity for 17,000 households.

The joint venture is to be financed with long-term debt from Bank of Ireland.

The Castlepook Wind Farm, which is to be constructed in the Ballyhoura Forest, comprises 14 Nordex wind turbines. Planning permission for the project was granted by An Bord Pleanála in 2013.

The 33.1 MW wind farm will connect to the existing electricity distribution system at Charleville via an underground 38kV cable that will be installed as part of the wind farm construction works. Installation of the turbines is expected to commence next summer.

“This project represents ESB’s commitment to investing and innovating in low carbon and renewable technologies, including wind energy. Castlepook Wind Farm will add to ESB’s existing portfolio of 15 wind farms on the island of Ireland, and will help us achieve of our target of 1,600MW of wind generation capacity by 2025,” said ESB chief executive Pat O’Doherty.