SSE receives planning approval for Mullafarry battery project in North Mayo
28 Apr 2025
SSE has received a grant of planning permission from Mayo County Council for its proposed Mullafarry Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
The Mullafarry battery storage project will be developed on an SSE-owned site in Tawnaghmore Upper, adjacent to the existing 104MW Tawnaghmore Power Station in Killala Business Park, North Mayo.
The 80MW/160MWh facility is key to enabling Ireland’s transition to a decarbonised energy system. By storing renewable energy produced during periods of surplus, batteries help maintain grid stability and ensure power is available when it's most needed. Mullafarry BESS will be capable of storing enough to power the equivalent of over 75,000 homes for up to two hours at a time.*
The Mullafarry project will also help balance electricity supply and demand, supporting Ireland’s transition to clean energy while also contributing to local economic development through jobs during construction and ongoing commercial rates payments to Mayo County Council.
The approved design includes between 26 and 38 battery units and reflects updates to the previous consent granted in 2018, which has since expired.
"Battery projects like Mullafarry are essential to storing surplus renewable energy and strengthening grid reliability. We’re proud to continue investing in the West of Ireland and delivering clean energy infrastructure that benefits local communities and the wider energy system.
Ghislain Demeuldre Head of Onshore Wind, Solar and Battery Development at SSE Renewables
The transition in our power sector is a crucial driver of economic activity across Ireland. Projects like Mullafarry BESS are vital in supporting this transition, enabling a more resilient and sustainable energy system that fosters both individual well-being and the collective good of the nation."
Mullafarry adds to SSE’s growing portfolio in the region, including the Glenora and Sheskin South wind farms, being co-developed with FuturEnergy Ireland, and the nearby Tawnaghmore Power Station. In Sligo, SSE is also progressing a new wind energy project at the site of the existing Dunneill and Kingsmountain wind farms – the proposed Crumhach Wind Farm.
Final delivery of Mullafarry BESS is subject to a final investment decision by SSE. It is hoped construction could commence in 2026 with project completion expected in 2028.
For more information, visit: www.sserenewables.com/mullafarry.
*Quoted over 75,000 homes (77,171) supplied for 2 hours, based on an 80MW (160MWh) battery against assumed average daytime (08:00-20:00) hourly use of 1.03kWh at a typical home (based on Typical Domestic Annual Consumption, 4,200 kWh per household, Commission for the Regulation of Utilities)