Kilshane Energy Proposes 680MW Power Plant Near M50 in North Dublin

Kilshane Energy has submitted plans for a 680-megawatt (MW) power plant to be located at Kilshane, approximately 2 kilometers from the M50 in north Dublin. This proposal follows the company's previously secured permission for Phase One of its scheme, a €250 million, 293MW Open Cycle Gas Turbine plant, which is anticipated to be completed in the second quarter of 2028.

A planning report by JSA Planning, accompanying the application, describes the proposed facility as a «Flexible Peaking Plant». Its purpose is to provide a reliable source of backup generation during periods of high electricity demand and low renewable electricity supply. JSA Planning emphasizes that such peaking plants are crucial for preventing power outages and ensuring the security of electricity supply in a grid increasingly reliant on renewable energy sources.

The new plans detail Gas Turbine Power Generation Stations, each with an output of up to 340MW. Kilshane Energy, a subsidiary of the Northern Ireland-based, family-owned LCC Group, owns a 67-acre site in Dublin 11 where construction for Phase One has already begun. The LCC Group, founded by Michael Loughran, reported pre-tax profits of £35.7 million on revenues of £1.11 billion for the 12 months ending March 2025, distributing £89.76 million in dividends during that fiscal year.

The construction phase for the newly proposed plant is expected to create an additional 50 construction jobs, bringing the total on-site construction staff to 250 during the peak overlapping period. Construction work for Phase Two is projected to commence in the first quarter of 2027 and conclude by the third quarter of 2029, with the entire development anticipated to become operational in the fourth quarter of 2029. JSA Planning notes that these proposals align with a key target in the Climate Action Plan 2025 to provide at least 2GW of new flexible gas plants by 2030.