SSE has received planning permission from Cork County Council to extend the operational life of the Coomatallin wind farm near Drinagh by a further 20 years, the company said.
The approval allows the four-turbine onshore wind farm, which began operating in 2006, to continue generating electricity until 2046 without any changes to the number or size of turbines, SSE said.
SSE added that the life extension will allow continued support for the Coomatallin Community Fund, which has awarded almost €290,000 to more than 150 local projects since the wind farm became operational.
According to the company, the wind farm generates enough renewable electricity each year to power more than 4,000 homes, contributing to reductions in carbon emissions.
“Coomatallin Wind Farm has contributed to clean energy production in Ireland for two decades, and with this life extension, it will continue playing its important role in renewable energy production to combat climate change,” Ciaran Maguire, onshore wind operations and maintenance general manager for Ireland at SSE Renewables, said in a statement.
He added that the council’s decision would also enable continued local benefits. “Importantly, due to this consent from Cork County Council, we can continue to provide direct benefits to the local community for many more years to come through our long-standing Community Benefit Fund and contributions to local service through ongoing commercial rates payments,” Maguire said.
