'Substantial changes' to Dunnstown batteries plan re-ignite local opposition

The new site notice, and recent LFP fire in Germany.

New proposals for the controversial battery energy storage system proposed for Dunnstown have been made by the developer, as part of an appeal against losing planning permission, writes Brian Byrne. But local residents who have been fighting the plan say the 'substantial and material' changes should be subject to a completely new planning application.

In June 2021 Kildare County Council had refused the original planning application for the development. That decision was overturned by An Bord Pleanala, but the board's granting of permission was quashed earlier this year by the High Court, following judicial review proceedings by local residents. 

A site notice was erected at Dunnstown on Wednesday last at the behest of ABP, outlining proposed changes to the plan, described as 'significant further information' submitted to the board by the applicant, Strategic Power Projects Limited. 

The changes include using Lithium Iron Phosphate rather than Lithium Ion batteries to store energy at the site. The details also include a battery storage area reduced by circa 50pc due to the use of smaller battery containers. The applicant claims that using LFP battery technology overcomes third party fire and safety concerns expressed in a report previously lodged with the board. 

The Two Mile House Says No group says these proposed changes are 'substantial and material' and should not be part of an appeal, as opposed to the submission of a totally new application to Kildare County Council.

They also note that "Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries are Lithium ion batteries so the risks and hazards of thermal runaway, toxic gas and explosion still exist." The residents also highlight the fact that the developer is still not proposing an adequate water supply, even though this was the reason ABP conceded and world expert independent opinion stated it is the ONLY extinguishant to control thermal runaway. 

"The developer is proposing a 'Let it Burn' policy with no means of intervention," a spokesperson said. "We do not know of any incident worldwide where no water has been available." TMHSN notes that in a 2021 fire in Beijing where three people died, the batteries involved were LFP, "which the developer is claiming are incombustible." There was also a serious fire in Germany this year with an LFP battery system.

Submissions may be made to the board by any person within four weeks from last Wednesday, to the revised proposals which are available for inspection at the offices of Kildare County Council in Naas.

The original KCC planning reference was 21608. The appeal reference number is ABP-319518-24 (previously ABP-310841-21).

It's understood that the revised proposals were submitted by the applicant last May. Locals involved in the ABP process received notice of the plans three weeks ago, 'for comment', but TMHSN responded that there had been no public consultation on them. "Then the site notice went up on Wednesday. It's all very confusing."

There were 170 submissions from locals to the original application to KCC, including a 500-signature petition attached to the TMHSN submission.

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