Planning approval granted for gas storage facility

Environment Minister Alex Attwood MLA has granted planning approval for a £400 million natural gas storage facility at Islandmagee, County Antrim.  The facility, when operational, will have the capacity to store 500 million cubic metres of natural gas – enough to satisfy Northern Ireland’s peak demand for around 60 days – in Permian salt beds almost a mile beneath Larne Lough.

Speaking at the announcement, the Minister commented: “This security of energy will be a significant step forward in the way we manage our energy sector.  North Sea gas supplies are declining steeply and this facility will make a significant contribution to the security of gas supplies for the whole island of Ireland and indeed for Britain.

“This project will see a major economic boost to the area.  There is no doubt that constructing storage for 500 million cubic metres of gas a mile below the sea will create construction and longer term jobs.”

The Minister noted that there had been environmental concerns around the project but stressed the exhaustive nature of the consultation and planning process, and the need for the other necessary consents (including from the Health and Safety Executive and Northern Ireland Environment Agency) to be obtained in order to allow the project to proceed in a way that creates jobs and develops the economy whilst also protecting the environment.

Islandmagee Storage Limited, the company developing the project, is a joint venture between GB-based gas storage and petroleum exploration company InfraStrata plc and a subsidiary of local company Mutual Energy Limited.