Battery technology leap comes into play in power plant planning dispute with stud farm

A long-running planning battle between a Co Kildare stud farm owned by US billionaire John Malone and the backers of a proposed new power plant has taken a fresh turn.
This follows Strategic Power Projects Ltd (SPPL) lodging redesigned plans with An Bord Pleanála for the power plant following advances in Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) technology that “have allowed for enhanced safety”.
It is now over three years since SPPL lodged their contentious BESS planning application in May 2021 for Dunnstown, near Two Mile House in Co Kildare, which was subsequently refused planning permission by Kildare County Council.
The council refusal followed several of the country’s leading stud farms lodging objectionsto the proposed facility, located 2km south of Two Mile House and 5km from Kilcullen.
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Those opposing the power plant include the Aga Khan’s Sallymount and Gilltown studs, John Malone’s Castlemartin stud, the Irish National Stud and the Irish Thoroughbred Horsebreeders’ Association.
SPPL appealed the refusal to An Bord Pleanála and it granted planning permission for the BESS in September 2022.
However, following a High Court judicial review challenge taken by local residents which resulted in the court quashing the An Bord Pleanála grant of permission, the case was referred back before the appeals board in May.
Now, as part of the revised 222MW plans lodged with An Bord Pleanála, planning consultant Peter Thomson, for the applicants, has said that since the grant of permission there have been advances in BESS technology.
He said changes in the design and chemistry of batteries have allowed for enhanced safety.
As a result, the BESS will use lithium iron phosphate batteries instead of the initially proposed lithium ion batteries.
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Mr Thomson said that the use of the lithium iron phosphate batteries overcomes third-party fire and safety concerns expressed in a report previously lodged with the board.
He said that the battery storage units initially proposed for 40ft containers were now largely obsolete and could be replaced by much smaller units.
This will result in the same storage capacity over half of the original BESS site and provides “for the optimal layout and design”, he said.
Mr Thomson noted that since the quashed grant of permission, the council granted planning permission for a house 145m from the BESS.
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Mr Thomson said that the visual and acoustic impacts on the potential house occupants would be significantly less under the new proposal.
The appeals board has told parties that it will make its decision in December.