US' New Fortress makes planning application for Irish LNG import terminal, CCGT

US-based New Fortress Energy has lodged a planning application for a floating LNG import terminal and gas-fired power plant in northwest Ireland, a company spokesperson said Sept. 6.

The planning application for the Eur650 million project -- located at the site of the stalled Shannon LNG import -- comes despite the Irish government having imposed a de facto moratorium on the development of LNG import infrastructure.

The proposed development comprises an FSRU and a 600 MW CCGT that would back up renewable generation and have an integrated 120 MW one-hour battery storage facility for ultra-fast response.

The FSRU will regasify imported LNG and send the gas to the power plant and to the national gas grid, New Fortress said.

"The proposed development will provide a major energy infrastructure asset that addresses Ireland's shortfall in stable electricity generation and provide security of gas supply," New Fortress vice president of project development, Sam Abdalla, said.

"By so doing it will support Ireland's transition to 70% renewable electricity generation by 2030," Abdalla said.

He added that the project would be privately funded and no government or EU funding was being sought.

The new project is one of two proposed LNG import terminals under development in Ireland.

UK-listed Predator Oil & Gas is also moving forward with plans for a floating LNG import terminal -- to be located some 50 km off the southern coast of Ireland -- and in June submitted a report to the Draft Cork County Development Plan 2021 for public consultation.

Predator, which has named the project "Mag Mell" after the mythical Irish kingdom beneath the ocean, said it was working with Norway's Hoegh LNG and Dutch contractor Jumbo Offshore to develop the project concepts.

Government stance

The developments come despite the Irish government in mid-May approving a policy statement that includes a moratorium on the development of all LNG import terminals pending the completion of a review of the country's supply security.

The review is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.

The Irish coalition government formed in June last year made it a policy pledge not to allow the import of LNG produced from shale gas, with the policy statement presented in May confirming that Dublin "does not support the importation of fracked gas."

Predator said its Mag Mell project would specifically avoid LNG produced from shale gas.

According to Ireland's Climate Action Plan, the country is aiming to double the electricity generated from renewable sources to 70% of the nation's consumption, with the majority of the remaining 30% of electricity generated from gas.

Ireland has no LNG import infrastructure at present and is reliant on its only major producing field, Corrib, and UK gas imports to meet its demand requirements of around 5 Bcm/year.