Wind Energy – Arklow Bank
SSE Renewables plans to commission the Arklow Bank Wind Park Phase 2 in 2028 and not in 2025 as initially planned as the developer confirmed that it plans to apply for a Maritime Area Consent (MAC) for the project under Ireland’s new consenting regime.
The decision by SSE Renewables to transfer Phase 2 of Arklow Bank Wind Park from the current route of delivery via the Foreshore Act into the MAC regime has been notified to both the Minister for Environment, Climate, and Communications, Eamon Ryan, and to the Minister for Planning, the developer said.
The company’s offshore wind energy project will now progress through the MAC regime alongside other qualified Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) projects in the Irish Sea and off the west coast of the island.
SSE Renewables had been actively engaged in developing Arklow Bank Wind Park early, via the Foreshore Act. With the introduction by the Irish government of the Maritime Area Planning (MAP) Act in December 2021, SSE Renewables will now progress the project via the newly introduced marine planning process.
Transferring Arklow Bank Wind Park Phase 2 to the MAP process allows SSE Renewables to revise the project and substantially increase the power generation output from the site from 520 MW to 800 MW.
Originally expected enter construction in 2024 followed by operations in 2025, the upscaled project’s new delivery date is 2028.