Potential for disaster highlighted at Dunnstown project meeting

The meeting was addressed by Hugh Dillon and Senator Vincent Martin.

The campaign against a proposed battery energy storage system at Dunnstown has carried out around 500 hours of research into the issues around such installations, a meeting in Two Mile House heard last night, writes Brian Byrne.

Outlining some of the results of that research, which he described as 'meticulous, not just doing a Google search', campaign member Hugh Dillon offered some truly scary highlights of the potential for disaster which the campaign claims would exist if the project goes ahead.

The most emotive suggested was the possibility of an explosion '1.7 times greater than that in Beirut' which happened a year ago when stored fertiliser blew up. Other potential issues include the leakage of toxic chemicals into the local aquifer, the release of highly dangerous hydrogen fluoride gas during a battery fire, and the risk of the installation being a target for cyber-criminals.

In the course of his presentation, Mr Dillon touched on some alternatives for electric power storage, including hydro installations like Turlough Hill, flywheel systems, and using CO2 Battery technology. He described the proposed BESS, which would be the 'second or third biggest in the world' as 'reckless in scale'.

Those present were also given an update of the current position in relation to the planning application for the project. A refusal of permission by Kildare County Council is being appealed by the developer, Strategic Power Systems. Mr Dillon said the campaign will be making an observation to the appeal, and has commissioned reports from a number of experts. He described one already received, on the fire hazards, as 'damning'.

The meeting was organised by the 'Two Mile House says NO' group and was attended by about 20 people. It was held in a car park in the village and was also addressed by Senator Vincent Martin of the Green Party, who lives locally.

A full report will be published in next Tuesday's Kildare Nationalist.

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