Generation and Trading

Fuel: Coal and Oil

Capacity: 915 MW

Commissioned: 1985, 1986 and 1987

Technology: 3 x Brown Boveri Turbines

Moneypoint is one of Ireland’s largest generating stations. It has three units, each with a capacity of 305 MW, leading to a total capacity of 915 MW – around 7 million MW hours/year.

Coal is the primary fuel; however, Moneypoint also has two Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) storage tanks with a capacity of 50,000 tonnes. We use HFO as a back-up fuel if needed. 

At full output, the station consumes approximately 7,000 tonnes of coal per day – around two million tonnes a year. We have developed extensive coal-handling facilities on site, including a deep-water jetty capable of accepting vessels of up to 250,000 dead weight tonnes and a 600,000 tonne coal storage area. (A typical coal shipment is around 140,000 tonnes.)

In 2008, we completed a major environmental equipment upgrade to ensure the plant complies with the strictest environmental requirements for flue gas desulphurisation (SO2) and selective catalytic reduction (NOx).

Responsible Coal Supply

ESB expects all suppliers/contractors providing goods, services or works to ESB and/or on behalf of ESB to conduct their business in an honest and ethical manner, in accordance with all applicable laws, and to respect internationally recognised human rights. ( www.bettercoal.org)

To this end, in 2015, ESB became a regular member of Bettercoal with a view to engaging with our coal suppliers to support and improve corporate responsibility in our coal supply chain.

Bettercoal is a global, not for profit initiative that has been established by a group of major coal buyers to promote the continuous improvement of corporate responsibility in the coal supply chain, with an initial focus on the coal mines themselves. Bettercoal’s vision is a coal supply chain that respects the rights of people and the environment and contributes positively to the social and economic livelihoods of workers, producers, and communities. Through Bettercoal’s assessment programme, we seek to advance the continuous improvement of corporate responsibility in the coal supply chain by improving business practices through engagement with stakeholders and based on a shared set of standards.