SSE Renewables and FuturEnergy have been granted planning permission for a 60MW wind farm in Donegal, Ireland.
An Bord Pleanala has granted planning permission for the partners to develop the 12-turbine wind farm in the rural uplands of Donegal, 13 km from Letterkenny and located within the townlands of Treankeel, Meenadaura, Carrickalangan and Cark.
During construction, Drumnahough Wind Farm will generate approximately 60 jobs.
Drumnahough Wind Farm will make a “significant positive impact locally” through the provision of a substantial Community Benefit Fund which will become available once the project enters commercial operation.
Delivery of the Drumnahough Wind Farm project represents a joint total capital investment of around €60m between the two development partners.
The investment will help support County Donegal’s rural regeneration.
SSE Renewables will lead on the construction of the project and will operate the wind farm on completion.
The project will also add to the development partners’ pipeline of projects in the north west where SSE Renewables and FuturEnergy Ireland are constructing the 30MW Lenalea Wind Farm near Letterkenny in central Donegal.
Garry Brides, Project Manager of Drumnahough for SSE Renewables, said: “We are delighted that the Drumnahough Wind Farm project has been successfully approved by An Bord Pleanála at the planning stage and will be able to start progressing onto the next stage.
“Delivery of Drumnahough Wind Farm will help boost Ireland’s energy independence and cut costs for the consumer by providing cheaper, more secure, homegrown energy for consumers.
“It will also make a significant contribution to Ireland’s ambitious renewable energy targets and efforts to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
“Working with our co-development partners FuturEnergy Ireland and the communities in County Donegal we look forward to bringing to fruition the positive social and economic benefits that Drumnahough Wind Farm will deliver during its construction and its operational lifetime.”
Mary Lynch, Portfolio Director at FuturEnergy Ireland, said: “From FuturEnergy Ireland’s perspective, it brings us one step closer to achieving our stated ambition of generating 1GW of renewable electricity by 2030.
“In partnership with SSE Renewables, we are very much looking forward to seeing Drumnahough Wind Farm help Ireland leverage its unique wind resource, attain climate targets and increase the country’s energy security, all while providing a boost to the local economy and the community, without the support of whom this project would not be possible.”