Aughinish Power is to be the name of a new company which plans to develop a 250megawatt combined heat and power (CHP) plant at a site on the Shannon estuary in Co Limerick.
The joint venture is between Aughinish Alumina Ltd, Bord Gais and ATCO Power with a proposed investment of some £110 million. This would provide 200 construction jobs. Aughinish Alumina public affairs manager Mr Pat Lynch confirmed a project management team was in place and, nearer to start-up, a long-term management team would be appointed.
The technology centres on the use of natural gas and the proposed extension of the national gas pipeline westwards through Co Limerick before it turns north under the Shannon, up through Clare and into Galway. From there it will cross the midlands, linking up with Dublin.
"It will probably be the most efficient power plant in the country, with an efficiency of over 80 per cent," said Mr Lynch.
"The very high efficiency of the plant and the fact it uses natural gas will greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a national scale, helping Ireland to meet its Kyoto Protocol commitments.
"This means such plants are greatly encouraged by the Environmental Protection Agency and the European Union." He said the plant would provide the 40 MW requirements for the alumina refinery, and 250 MW for sale through the national grid.
The joint venture partners made a good match in that Aughinish has an ideal site with a large electricity and steam requirement, he said. Bord Gais would market the surplus electricity while ATCO Power, one of Canada's largest corporations, would contribute its worldwide experience in developing, constructing and managing power plants.
The thermal and electrical efficiency of CHP is so much greater than conventional power stations that emissions of carbon dioxide can be cut by at least 33 per cent. The project is scheduled to supply electricity to the eligible market in 2002.