asked the Minister for Energy if the Government have given their approval for the closure of Screebe turf burning generating station and, if so, the reason for such a decision.
Written Answers. - Closure of Turf Burning ESB Stations.
546.
As the Deputy is no doubt aware, the Government, at their meeting on 30 May 1984, approved the modified version of the ESB's five year strategic plan. The plan set out the measures seen by the ESB as necessary to achieve substantial improvement in the economics of its operations, and was drawn up by the board and management of the ESB on their own initiative and responsibility.
The original plan included proposals to close certain peat fired generating stations. Because of the obvious implications for Bord na Mona the Government insisted that the boards should get together and jointly consider the ESB proposals, and following negotiations the modified proposals, ensuring that the generation of electricity from peat fired stations is to continue with little change, emerged.
The ESB also put forward modified proposals relating to the four small 5 MW sod peat stations including that at Screebe, County Galway. These proposals, which have been accepted by the Government, are that the stations at Gweedore and Cahirciveen would continue in operation and the stations at Miltown Malbay and Screebe would close, as proposed originally. The ESB pointed out that the load factors at Miltown Malbay and Screebe have been low for many years due to the unsatisfactory level of sod peat deliveries. The cost of a unit of electricity sent out from the stations is also very high — in 1983-84 a unit of electricity sent out from Screebe cost 11.09p. The stations at Gweedore and Cahirciveen have a better unit cost.
The ESB has now decided that the Screebe station will remain open to use the 1984 and 1985 turf harvests in order to afford the local producers time to seek alternative markets for their turf output.