Press release: Issued by the Stop Shannon LNG Coalition: 13-05-25 12pm
Welcome for latest court challenge to Shannon LNG
The Stop Shannon LNG coalition warmly welcomes the news that Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) have lodged a High Court Judicial Review of An Bord Pleanála (ABP) to grant planning permission to Shannon LNG’s proposed 600 MW power plant and battery storage system.
ABP’s granting permission for the power plant followed on from Eirgrid’s decision to give Shannon LNG an almost €½ billion contract for the building of the power plant.[2] According to recent analysis by environmental campaign group Beyond Fossil Fuels (BFF) and Aurora Energy Research this was at the highest contracted power price rate ever given out across the six markets analysed. In the analysis of capacity auctions, Ireland had the highest overall level for capacity payments, about 70pc higher than Britain, who had the next highest rate.[3]
One of the grounds of the Judicial review is that even the vastly underestimated emissions calculated by the Developer, would account for 1/3rd of all budgeted emissions from the entire electricity sector in 2030.
Cllr Eddie Mitchell of anti-fracking group Love Leitrim said: “We won’t accept the government walking away from climate mitigation and make no mistake about it, that is what is being done if the plans that Shannon LNG have for its fracked gas import terminal, power plants and data centres are permitted”
John McElligott of Safety Before LNG stated “Numerous State agencies are ignoring their climate obligations, what they are doing is aligning themselves with the needs of data centres and fossil fuel companies against the public’s best interests. They are driving up energy costs for the public and also ensuring that the public will be liable for fines over emissions breaches for years to come”.
Eamon de Staic of environmental NGO Gluaiseacht stated “The previous government actually made it a Climate Action target to build 2GW of new gas power plants by 2030. And unlike almost all other Climate Action targets set, this one looks like it will be massively exceeded, with almost 6GW of new gas plants now either permitted or currently seeking permission. If these are built it will blow any chance of us achieving our emissions targets out of the water.” [4]
Eoghan Harris of Future Generations Kerry stated “We will not let north Kerry become an entry point for Fracked gas into Ireland. We live on a shale gas basin and know that only a few years ago, prospecting holes were drilled across the water in Loop head. When we take in Fracked gas we lose the argument against fracking here. Our future is at stake here and we will not be silenced.”
ENDS
For more details see: www.stopshannonlng.ie
The Stop Shannon LNG coalition is a group of environmental groups formed to fight the planned construction of a fracked gas import terminal in Ireland
LINKS: