| Tarbert Power Station | |
| Coordinates: | 52.589°N -9.364°W |
| Country: | Ireland |
| Location: | Tarbert, County Kerry |
| Status: | O |
| Construction Began: | 1966 |
| Commissioned: | 1969-09 (Unit 1) 1969-12 (Unit 2) 1976-04 (Unit 3) 1977-04 (Unit 4) |
| Cost: | £55 million |
| Owner: | ESB (1969-2009) Endesa (2009-2012) SSE Thermal (2012-) |
| Operator: | SSE Thermal |
| Th Fuel Primary: | Fuel oil |
| Th Technology: | Steam turbine |
| Ps Chimneys: | 2 |
| Ps Cooling Source: | Shannon Estuary |
| Ps Units Operational: | (Unit 1) (Unit 2) (Unit 3) (Unit 4) |
| Ps Units Manu Model: | General Electric |
| Ps Annual Generation: | (2008) |
Tarbert Power Station is an oil fired power station situated on the Shannon Estuary in Tarbert, County Kerry, Ireland. Construction commenced in October 1966 and the first block was commissioned in 1969.[1] The station comprises two (Unit I and II) and two oil fired steam turbines. It was the largest station of ESB during the 1980s. The plant was sold to Endesa in 2009, and subsequently to SSE in 2012. Until early 2022 it was scheduled for closure by the end of 2023. However, due to the 2021–2024 global energy crisis, Tarbert station will maintain operation for an indefinite amount of time, until enough low-carbon generating capacity will be available as a replacement.[2]
In 2003 Tarbert was the site of an explosion that killed two workers and seriously injured another.[3] In September 2022 one boiler was damaged by a fire, which led to loss of half of block 3's generating capacity, . The generator is expected to return to full capacity in February 2023.[4]
In 2023 plans emerged to replace the fuel-oil fired units by a new Open cycle gas turbine Next Generation Power Station with one Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO)-fired unit. With planned construction begin in 2024, the new unit is scheduled for operation in 2026.[5]
Units:
| Unit | Capacity (MW) | Primary Fuel | Cycle | Boiler Type | Condenser Cooling | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TB1 | 54 | Heavy Fuel Oil | Condensing Steam Cycle | Drum | Water | disused | |
| TB2 | 54 | Heavy Fuel Oil | Condensing Steam Cycle | Drum | Water | disused | |
| TB3 | 241 | Heavy Fuel Oil | Condensing Steam Cycle | Once-through | Water | currently runs at half capacity due to damage by fire | |
| TB4 | 243 | Heavy Fuel Oil | Condensing Steam Cycle | Once-through | Water | offline from April 2021 to Spring 2023 for maintenance |