Veolia appointed operator of Ireland's largest biomass power plant

Veolia, through its subsidiary in Ireland Veolia Energy Services, has been awarded, by Mayo Renewable Power, a €450 million 15-year contract to operate a biomass power plant in Killala, Co. Mayo, in Ireland.

The plant, which will be the largest independent biomass power plant in Ireland, will provide 42.5MW of combined heat and power, enough electricity to power the equivalent of 68,000 homes.

In addition to operating and maintaining the power production plant and the adjacent fuel processing plant, Veolia will also supply the total biomass fuel requirement for the facility. The plant will use similar technology to that applied at Veolia's biomass facilities at Merritt and Fort St. James in British Colombia, Canada, which are among the largest plants in North America.

Moreover, the operations and maintenance contract will directly create 30 new jobs at the facility in Killala. The plant will be in commercial operation in mid-2017.