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GENERATION & WHOLESALE MARKETS

June/July 2013 www.esb.ie/em

Mountain Lodge Community Fund awards night

Ten community groups received grants on the night of the awards.

ESB AND GALETECH ENERGY hosted an awards night for the second instalment of the Mountain Lodge Wind Farm Community Fund on Monday April 15th at the Errigal House Hotel in Coote-hill, Co. Cavan. Mountain Lodge is a 31.4MW wind farm co-owned by ESB and Galetech Energy and is operational since 2008.

The fund is designed to support projects and communities located near the wind farm. A total of €20,950 was awarded on the night, with grants ranging from €750 to €3,000. The award comes at a time when community groups around the country are low on resources and the grants were very well received. Not only do wind farms benefit Ireland Inc. through employment generated and helping Ireland meet its green energy targets, but also community groups are seeing the benefits of hosting a wind farm in their local area through the application of community funds.

Speaking at the event, Joe Scally, Operations Manager, ESB, said: “The Mountain Lodge Wind Farm Community Fund is designed to support local projects which will benefit the community now and in the future. The fund represents a long-term investment by ESB and underlines our commitment to community engagement throughout the country.”

ESB and Galetech Energy have expressed an interest in visiting some of the successful projects during the summer to see first hand the good work being done in the community.

The fund will be managed by the Community Foundation for Ireland who are responsible for assessment of all applications. There will be another round of funding initiated in Q4 2013.

Giant crane attracts attention at Inniscarra

Gerard Coughlan sent EM this photo of a large crane at the station that was used recently for work on the dam. The giant crane was an unusual sight in the scenic location.

ARDNACRUSHA HOSTS RETIRED STAFF FROM AN POST

A group of retired staff from An Post recently paid a visit to Ardnacrusha Power Station and were delighted with the history of the Shannon the Scheme, which was given to them on the day. Some of the group later returned and presented Station Manager Catherine Halpin with a framed copy of two stamps (priced 2d) that were commissioned by the government on the October 15th 1930 to mark the completion of the Shannon Scheme. Pictured (l-r) are Dermot Finnan, Station Manager Catherine Halpin, Michael Reilly, An Post retired staff, and Tom Hayes Civil Engineer.

ESB Chemists say farewell to Pat Colman

Pictured at the ESB Chemists Quarterly Meeting are David Brazil, Dublin Bay Power; Suzanne Moran, Poolbeg; Fiona Spelissy, Aghada; Shauna Concannon, Coolkeeragh; Fionn Griffin, ESBI; Pat Colman, Head Office; Elizabeth Stack, Aghada; Eimear Dennehy, Lough Ree/West Offaly Power; John Wall, Moneypoint; and Adrian Dennehy, ESBI. This was the last meeting attended by Pat Colman who is retiring from ESB and the group paid tribute to Pat and thanked him for his tremendous contribution over the years. Together with his colleagues we wish Pat well into the future.

Enthusiastic pupils take lesson from ‘Teacher Padraig’!

As part of the Turlough Hill Staff Safety Indicatives for 2013, staff member Padraig Healey went back to school! Padraig met some of the teachers and pupils of The Sacred Heart N. S. in Aughrim to give a talk on how electricity is generated and distributed and its safe use in the school and home. Padraig also showed ESB's commitment to the environment by arriving in one of Turlough Hills electric vehicles which raised lots of interest and questions from the pupils.

There was great enthusiasm from the pupils about the local generation station ‘below the mountain’ and it is hoped to arrange a visit for the sixth class pupils at a later date.

ELEV8 FILMED AT ESB POWER STATIONS

The students are taken by the amazing icicles hanging from the rocks at Turlough Hill as they filmed in unseasonal weather!

RTÉ RECENTLY FILMED two short pieces in both Turlough Hill and Leixlip station for a science slot called ‘The Y Files’ on the kids’ afternoon TV show, Elev8, which is broadcast daily on RTÉ Two.

The first piece filmed at Turlough Hill outlined how electricity is made. The second, filmed at Leixlip Dam covered water management. The first of the two programmes was aired on April 17th and the second the following Wednesday.

Plant Manager Turlough Hill and Liffey Stations, Dave Sexton, and his teams at Turlough Hill and Leixlip facilitated the crews on site and were extremely helpful throughout. Particular credit to Eimear Roche who facilitated the crew at Turlough Hill on what can only be described as blizzard conditions. The crew had hoped to film at the upper reservoir but hazardous snow conditions made the trip impossible. However, the amazing icicles formed on the rock around the site were of great interest to the young visitors

Once again thanks to everyone for facilitating the filming.

Donning PPE prior to filming.

Declan Hendrick explains to the group how the hydro plants around the country are controlled from Turlough Hill.