Tarbert Next Generation Power Station, Ireland

Tarbert Next Generation Power Station is a planned Open Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) power plant that would run on 100% sustainable biofuel.

SSE Thermal, a subsidiary of subsidiary of British company SSE, will build the plant at its existing power station in Tarbert, north of County Kerry, in Ireland.

The project will use Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and potentially hydrogen in the future.

In February 2025, SSE Thermal took the final investment decision (FID) to build the 300MW Tarbert Next Generation Power Station. The company is investing up to €300m to deliver the project.

Full construction works are slated to begin in late 2025, with completion expected by the end of 2027.

Once commissioned, the new station will improve the security of Ireland’s electricity supply while supporting the ongoing growth of the country’s renewable energy capacity.

Tarbert Next Generation Power Station Location

The new power station will be within the boundaries of the now-closed Tarbert Power Station site, in the townland of Tarbert Island, Tarbert, County Kerry.

The erstwhile 620MW Tarbert Power Station shut down operations at the end of 2023 in line with EU emissions regulations. It featured two 60MW and two 250MW oil-fired turbines.

The new OCGT plant will benefit existing electricity transmission and fuel supply infrastructure.

The site is directly accessible by the national road network and situated in close proximity to key infrastructure such as Shannon Foynes Port.

Tarbert Next Generation Power Station Infrastructure

The planned development will include the OCGT power plant and associated building including air intake; emissions stack with continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS) platform; Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) with air intake filters, dilution fans, and skid; Generators fin fan coolers (OCGT) and lube oil fin fan coolers.

Key infrastructure at the site will also include one unit transformer and one grid transformer with a firewall separation; fire suppression skid; aqueous ammonia tank; propane gas tank and compound; demineralised water treatment plant and water tanks.

It will also include three HVO fuel storage tanks with two unloading bays; fuel polishing and transfer system building; HVO pipework; electrical connections; underground wastewater treatment plant; and administration building and workshop among others.

Operations

An Open Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) plant has been selected for the development as it can respond swiftly to fluctuations in electricity demand. It can start up rapidly and reach full capacity within a short timeframe.

The Tarbert facility’s single OCGT unit will be designed to operate as a ‘peaking’ plant, providing backup power during periods of high demand and supply shortfalls from renewable sources such as wind and solar.

The selected gas turbine technology enables quick startup, ensuring the grid can respond effectively to sudden shifts in electricity demand.

The Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), that the plant will use, is a biofuel derived from processing waste oils.

As HVO is a by-product of waste processing, it does not contribute to food displacement and has a lower lifetime greenhouse gas emissions profile than fossil fuels such as diesel or natural gas.

SSE Thermal will source HVO from 100% waste feedstocks, aligned with European Union’s (EU’s) RED II sustainability requirements.

The Tarbert plant is designed to operate entirely on HVO, however, the development could be adapted to utilise hydrogen in the future.

Contractors Involved

SSE Thermal picked Italian power engineering company Ansaldo Energia and Limerick-based Atlantic Projects Company (APC) as the primary partners for the Tarbert Next Generation Power Station project.

As agreed, Ansaldo will supply AE94.3A HVO turbine for the Open Cycle Gas Turbine plant. The turbine offers operational flexibility, allowing rapid startup to meet varying energy demands.

APC will be in charge of providing balance of plant services.

In February 2025, Gravis Planning, a planning and strategic communications consultancy, secured planning permission for Tarbert Next Generation Power Station project on behalf of SSE Thermal. The company managed the Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) planning application which also included an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR).

Capacity Agreement

In April 2023, SSE Thermal provisionally secured ten-year capacity agreements for two new-build power stations in Tarbert and Platin.

The two projects were awarded the contracts in the T-4 Capacity Auction. The term is slated to commence in the 2026/27 delivery year.