en.Wedoany.com Reported - SSE has submitted supplementary information to An Coimisiún Pleanála for its Arklow Bank Wind Park 2 offshore wind project, located off the coasts of Wicklow and North Wexford in the Irish Sea. The project has a planned installed capacity of 800 MW. The planning application, submitted by SSE's wholly-owned subsidiary Sure Partners Limited in June 2024, is currently under assessment.
In April 2025, the planning authority issued a Request for Further Information (RFI), requiring SSE to consider stakeholder feedback. In response, SSE has submitted extensive supplementary information, including an updated Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and an updated Natura Impact Statement (NIS), along with design changes to the offshore wind farm. Proposed design changes include reducing the number of offshore wind turbines to be installed at Arklow Bank from 56 to 53, and optimizing the infrastructure layout.
The updated EIAR and NIS incorporate additional site-specific data and peer-reviewed environmental studies obtained through extensive aerial, marine, and geotechnical surveys. Additional evidence-based research, technical modeling, and assessments indicate that the proposed development's impacts on coastal erosion and seabird populations are not significant at the EIAR level.
The public can submit observations to An Coimisiún Pleanála during an eight-week period from June 3, 2026, to July 29, 2026. Submitted documents are available for viewing and download on the dedicated website www.arklowbank2offshoreplanning.ie. Copies of the application and all supporting documents can be inspected at the following offices: An Coimisiún Pleanála, 64 Marlborough Street, Dublin 1, D01 V902; Wicklow County Council, County Buildings, Whitegates, Wicklow Town, A67 FW96; and Wexford County Council, County Hall, Carricklawn, Wexford, Y35 WY93.
James O'Hara, Head of Offshore Wind for Ireland at SSE Renewables, stated that the project is one of the most advanced offshore wind projects in Ireland and that submitting the supplementary information is a significant step. The additions reflect detailed work undertaken in response to stakeholder feedback, including optimizing the infrastructure layout and reducing the number of turbines to ensure the project can be delivered sensitively. He noted that, subject to obtaining the remaining offshore consent and approval to proceed, the project has the potential to play a key role in realizing Ireland's offshore wind ambitions, supporting jobs, local investment, and the transition to a safer, cleaner, and more affordable energy system.
The current planning application for the offshore infrastructure sea area is the third and remaining planning permission required for the project. The project has already secured planning permission for the operations and maintenance base at Arklow Harbour's South Dock, which can accommodate approximately 80 full-time employees, as well as permission for the onshore cables and substation connecting the offshore wind power to the Irish national grid.
The final delivery of the Arklow Bank Phase 2 project will depend on obtaining the remaining planning permission, securing a commercial market route, and SSE's final investment decision. If approved, construction could begin towards the end of this decade, with offshore wind power starting to be exported to the Irish national grid in the early 2030s. Once fully operational, the project will play a role in driving Ireland's transition to a cleaner, more affordable, and more secure indigenous energy system.
The project is expected to deliver up to €800 million in total national economic benefits, with approximately €400 million benefiting the Wicklow and Wexford regions, and supporting around 2,300 direct and indirect jobs over its delivery and operational lifecycle. The related socio-economic study, compiled by BiGGAR Economics, was included in the EIAR submitted in June 2024.
