A new Bord Gáis gas-fired power station, which is said to be one of the most efficient electricity-generating plants in the world, is due to open later today.
The power plant in Whitegate, East Cork, is the direct result of a €400m investment and signals Bord Gáis’ most significant move in the electricity market.
The company’s ‘Big Switch’ campaign generated increased interest in the company’s provision of electric power and the opening of the plant will see the company step up its efforts to compete with the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) for a further share of the market.
Business and industry
The plant is expected to provide power to business and industry and will employ up to 50 people once the operation reaches full production.
Speaking at the official opening, John Mullins, chief executive of Bord Gáis said: “The completion of the Whitegate power plant is hugely important to us in strategic terms.
“It provides the backing for our retail electricity business, which continues to grow, following the launch of our Big Switch campaign in February last year. Bord Gáis now has over 420,000 electricity customers”.
Bord Gáis asserts that the plant -a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) – will be the most efficient power plant in Ireland with an efficiency of 58.5pc and will contribute to the reduction of the price of electricity in future.
In 2009, Bord Gáis Energy Supply rebranded as Bord Gáis Energy, and entered the domestic electricity market, having supplied electricity to business customers since 2001.
