Seán Canney, Independent TD, attended a public meeting in Portumna where over 100 people expressed concern about a proposal to build a Reserve Gas Fired Generator, battery storage area and associated works on the N65 on the Killimor to Portumna road three kilometres outside Portumna without any consultation with local people.
The project has been deemed to be a project of strategic importance by An Bord Pleanála and therefore the planning application can be submitted directly to them.
There has been no consultation and people are very concerned that the proposal will have major negative impact on their lives.
The project included the demolition of an existing farm house, the construction of a Reserve Gas Fired Generator building housing three number 385 mw generator units, three number 45metre high stacks. An electrical substation, an energy storage system, power control centre, three number secondary fuel storage tanks, fuel loading area, carparking, administration building, and all associates works.
The construction phase will have huge implications for local people with three years of disruption during the construction phase, and ongoing fears were expressed in relation to the health, property devaluation, poor road network, health and safety issues, visual impact, and many people believe that this proposal is totally unsuitable for a rural area.
Furthermore, local people are very annoyed at the lack of local consultation with people and the underhanded approach the developers have taken with them.
The planning application is now lodged with An Bord Pleanála and submissions can be made by the concerned citizens. A steering committee has been formed locally to prepare submissions and they are holding another important public information meeting on Wednesday night in Portumna at 7pm in the community hall.
