The third electricity generation licence to be awarded by the Commission for Electricity Regulation has been given to CoGen Ltd, a company jointly owned by Dairygold Coop Society and Fingleton White & Co.
Under legislation brought in to regulate the electricity market when it is liberalised on February 19th of next year, all new and existing plants have to seek licences from the commission.
The company's combined heat and power plant will generate 30 million units annually, which mainly supplies the electricity needs of the co-op's processing plants.
Surplus power generated by the plant will be sold to the ESB power grid but is part of a £2.4 million (€3.05 million) project under the alternative energy requirement scheme, in conjunction with the Department of Public Enterprise, to make the co-op self-sufficient.
Dairygold engineering manager Mr Arthur O'Grady said: "Dairy gold has been active in combined heat and power technology and the sale of surplus electricity to the ESB grid network since 1993. The licence just issued is for the third such facility commissioned within Dairygold since 1993."
It is only an interim licence, lasting for six months, and the company says that it is not looking to compete in the soon-to-be-liberalised electricity market. Dairygold says the new plants, which generate a total of 90 million units annually, will make the company more efficient and competitive in the food industry.
The new plant will be fully automated and environmentally friendly, with all steam created by the manufacture of the company's food products being captured and recycled to generate power at the plant.
