The Eastern section of The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport Ireland made a visit to the Edenderry Power Plant.  A group of 12 members attended the technical visit where a presentation on the plants operations and a guided tour were offered.  Plant Manager Tom Egan gave a very detailed presentation on the history of the plant and its future plans. 

Edenderry Power Plant is a triple pressure Condensing Turbo-Alternator producing 118MW (net) electrical output Modern Peat Fire Bubbling Fluidised Boiler.  The plant consumes between 1to1.2 million tonnes per year.  The plant directly employees 45 people, and up to 250-300 people in its peat supply/services to the plant. 

 CILT Group

Edenderry Power Plant produces 120 MW of electricity using modern bubbling fluidised bed boiler technology meeting c. 3% of Ireland’s requirement.  It is of critical importance because of security of supply of power from indigenous fuel as well as the socio-economic benefits in the supply of power from peat.  Some €30 million is ploughed back into the local economy annually through peat supplies, material purchases, as well as services and salaries paid.  The plant took two years to build and at its height, over 600 people worked on its construction.  On November 27th 2000, the plant was officially opened by the Minister for Public Enterprise, Mary O’Rourke TD.

CILT Group getting a tour of the Edenderry Power Plant

The plant is scheduled to operate 24/7 for 330 days per year and is manned at all times.  There is one annual scheduled outage of approximately 25 days for maintenance and repairs and there are a further 10 days approximately allowed for forced outage probability.

€7 million Jet engine

Management & Quality Assurance

Edenderry Power Plant has been operational since 200 and in June 2002, they became the first company to achieve certificate to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 Quality, Environment and Health & Safety standards as part of one integrated system.  Later in 2002, “Excellence through People” people management certificate was awarded.  Their team is drawn from several business backgrounds including Energy and most of their people are from the local Offaly/Kildare area. 

 Barry O'Grady CMILT (Vice-Chair Eastern Section) presenting Tom Egan (Plant Manager) with a CILT gift

Business Development

Following the successful construction, commissioning and operation of Edenderry Power Plant from 1999 to date, their aim is to develop the business and ensure we are prepared for the challenges ahead.  Like most other businesses and eventually every household in Ireland, the government’s signing of the Kyoto agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will affect, to a greater or lesser extent, the prices and environment in which to operate in the future.  The continued use of peat as a fuel source is made possible by a state support system known as a PSO (Public Service Obligation).  The onset of Emission Trading puts consideration stress on the long term sustainability of the PSO support for peat as the sole fuel source of Edenderry Power plant.  Solely burning peat at the plant, with its consequent adverse impacts deriving from CO2 emissions in particular, is not a realistic long-term option having regard to national responsibility in relation to Global Warning.  As a result, the need to use alternative carbon neutral fuels to co-fuel the plant is more imperative than ever.  Reducing CO2 emissions to the allowed levels dictated by the “cap” imposed by the National Allocation Plan, while maintaining plant output, as well as minimising the “cost” impact on the electricity consumer of the need to purchase carbon allowances to cover any shortfall, are targets to which Edenderry Power Ltd must aspire. 

CILT Group outside the Edenderry Power Plant

The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport Ireland would like to thank the staff of Edenderry Power Plant and especially Tom Egan (Plant Manager) for their time and hospitality.  We would also like to thank Denis Bergin (CILT Member) for helping to  organise this event.