Planning approved for amended electricity substation on Leitrim wind farm

Conditional approval has been granted for amendments to a previously approved electricity substation in Leitrim.

The original application, submitted in July 2023, sought approval for the installation of a modular medium-voltage electricity substation at the Spion Kop Wind Farm in Greaghnaslieve, to be located adjacent to the existing electricity switchroom. 

Planning permission was granted in September 2023, subject to three conditions. These included that the substation accommodate a medium voltage of 10kV or 20kV only, and that the structures be painted to match the existing adjacent switchroom.

A further application, submitted in July of this year, sought approval for a revised substation design. 

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The changes requested included a shift in construction type from modular to block-built; an increase in overall footprint from approximately 12.5 square metres to approximately 26 square metres, more than doubling its size; an increase in height from 3.35 metres to 3.96 metres, representing a rise of 0.61 metres; along with all associated site development works necessary to facilitate the revisions.

Conditional planning permission for the amended design was granted on September 12, with four conditions attached. 

These require that the substation accommodate a medium voltage of 10kV or 20kV only, and that construction be managed in accordance with a Construction and Environmental Management Plan (CEMP). 

The CEMP must be submitted to, and agreed in writing with, the Planning Authority prior to commencement of development, and a record of daily checks confirming compliance must be kept available for inspection.

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