SSE Renewables and FuturEnergy Ireland have welcomed An Bord Pleanála's decision to grant planning permission for the development of Sheskin South Wind Farm in County Mayo.

The onshore wind project, which has received consent for 18 turbines reaching a maximum tip height of 200 metres, is situated roughly 6.7 kilometres northeast of Bangor Erris and 11 kilometres south of the Atlantic coast.

Throughout its construction phase, Sheskin South Wind Farm is expected to create around 100 to 120 job opportunities, along with considerable prospects for the local supply chain. Furthermore, the project partners have pledged to institute a Community Benefit Fund, ensuring the annual allocation of hundreds of thousands of euros to the local community upon the wind farm's commencement of commercial operations. This fund will actively assist various local community initiatives and projects.

Tom Coleman, Development Project Manager for SSE Renewables, said:  "We welcome the decision made by An Bord Pleanála to grant consent for Sheskin South Wind Farm. Delivery of this project will not only boost Ireland’s energy independence and provide cheaper, cleaner, more secure, homegrown electricity it will be crucial to achieving Ireland’s net zero targets, deliver clear economic benefits, through jobs and supply chain opportunities, whilst the associated community benefit fund will have a direct impact on the local community.

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"To deliver on the ambition of the project, we need to see more action on grid investment in the north-west. We will continue to work with the Government and EirGrid to address grid challenges in the region. We also look forward to working with the local community and our co-development partners FuturEnergy Ireland to take the project to the next stage."

Mary Lynch, Portfolio Director at FuturEnergy Ireland, said: "We warmly welcome this positive planning decision by An Bord Pleanála, which allows Sheskin South Wind Farm to progress into the next exciting phase of its development. Together with our co-development partner on the project, SSE Renewables, we are looking forward to advancing the project into its commercialisation stage where the project and its supply chain will start to take shape. It is a significant project of scale, which will make a very positive and lasting contribution to the local economy in Co. Mayo.

"The delivery of the Sheskin South project will contribute significantly to FuturEnergy Ireland’s ambition to develop 1GW of wind energy projects by 2030, and in doing so support Ireland’s climate targets, strengthen our energy security, and reduce electricity bills for all."

Sheskin South Wind Farm is a 50:50 joint venture between SSE Renewables and FuturEnergy Ireland. The project's progress depends on a final investment decision. Later this year, plans include the submission of a proposed grid connection planning application and a turbine delivery route application.

The project adds to the co-development partners' pipeline of projects, which includes the seven turbine, 30MW Lenalea Wind Farm which reached full power and connected to the national grid in late 2023, with plans for the proposed 12 turbine, 60MW Drumnahough Wind Farm at an advanced stage. Both projects are located in Donegal.