Moneypoint
Moneypoint is Ireland’s largest electricity generation site. It sits on the Shannon Estuary near Kilrush in County Clare. It was built in the mid‑1980s to give Ireland a secure baseload supply at a time when oil prices were volatile. For almost forty years it was the country’s only coal‑fired power station and could supply about a quarter of national demand.
Coal generation ended in 2025. The station now operates on oil as an emergency backup plant that is kept outside the market and used only when the grid needs support. The site also hosts a large flywheel synchronous condenser that helps stabilise the system as more renewable generation comes online.
ESB is redeveloping Moneypoint as a long‑term renewable energy hub. The plan is called Green Atlantic. It includes support for offshore wind in the Atlantic, new grid‑stability infrastructure, and potential future storage and hydrogen facilities. The site is intended to become a major anchor for Ireland’s west‑coast renewable build‑out.
Moneypoint is a marker of Ireland’s energy transition. It reflects the shift from coal to flexible backup generation and then to large‑scale renewable integration. It remains one of the most important nodes on the Irish electricity system.