The Government is developing facilities to address potential electricity supply deficits over the coming winters

Shannonbridge is one of several temporary gas-fired power plants the Government is developing due to concerns around possible energy shortages. Photo: Getty Images

The company building the Shannonbridge emergency gas power plant in Offaly has been cleared to start full construction on the project.

Argan, one of two US companies contracted for the development, said it has received “full notice to proceed” on engineering, procurement and construction.

The company is working with another US business, GE Vernova, to deliver the plant.

“With their combined expertise in engineering and construction, the APC/Gemma team will work collaboratively with all interested parties to achieve the targeted completion date of early 2024,” it said.

“Work commenced earlier this year under limited notices to proceed.”

The update gives a clearer idea of when the facility will be operational. It had previously been said the plant would be operational “during the 2023-2024 winter season”.

Shannonbridge is one of several temporary gas-fired power plants the Government is developing due to concerns around possible energy shortages. The project is being developed on a site owned by the ESB.

As well as Shannonbridge, the ESB is also developing an emergency power plant at a site in North Wall in Dublin, which is expected to be operational by the end of the year.

The plants are designed to address potential electricity supply deficits over the coming winters.

Shannonbridge will have the capacity to produce 264 megawatts of temporary emergency electricity

The plant is to spend the majority of its time on standby and will be able to run for up to 500 hours per year if needed.

Electricity could be generated at the site for four years, after which time the facility would be dismantled and removed.

Billy Nolan, the managing director of Atlantic Projects Company, one of Argan’s subsidiaries, said: “We understand the importance to Ireland of having a robust and reliable national power supply, especially during times of high demand.

“Our team is dedicated to executing this project with the utmost professionalism while adhering to safety and quality standards,” he said.

“The Shannonbridge Project is expected to serve as a vital resource to ensure the security of the electricity supply when the country needs it.”

The ESB has said that the emergency plant will only be used when existing market-based generation capacity “has failed or is imminently likely to fail to meet the system requirements”.

"When new enduring capacity has removed the need for temporary emergency generation, the plant will cease operation and will be removed from the site," the organisation said.

The Department of the Environment had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.