
Meenadreen Extension Wind Farm
In terms of scale the Meenadreen Extension Wind Farm is the largest onshore wind farm in Ireland. With a project value of €150 million, the total output of the Wind Farm is 95MW, equivalent to 3% of the average daily demand in Ireland. Located in an area of outstanding natural beauty in south east Donegal, the Wind Farm consists of a total of 38 Nordex N90 2.5 Megawatt (MW) wind turbines.
The Meenadreen Extension Wind Farm comprises:
- 25km of 4.5m wide internal roads.
- Widening strengthening and surfacing 5.35km of public roads from the N15 to the site entrance.
- 38 crane hardstands and turbine component assembly areas.
- 38 wind turbine foundations and sub formations works including piling and upfilling.
- Two 110kV Substations at Clogher and Mulreavy.
- 7.5km of 110kV underground grid connection cable between the substations.
- 33km of 33Kv MV Wind Farm site collector cable, trenching and ducting.
- 3.1km of watermain upgrade and pumping station.
- Erection of four 110kV 15m high lattice tower end masts and associated 110kV loop in works.
- Erection and commissioning of 38 wind turbine generators, each 115m high.
- Wind Farm Administration and Operations Buildings.
Services Provided by Jennings O’Donovan
Jennings O’Donovan are providing all Civil, Planning, Environmental, Resident Engineering, Supervision and PSDP services to the project owners, Energia Renewables. Our work included:
- Scope, tender, supervise and administration of Geotechnical Site Investigations Contract (Rotary Cores, Trial Pits, Geophysics, Peat analysis and Slip Risk Assessments).
- Complete Haul Route assessment following turbine selection, detailed design of all necessary public road widening and upgrading works over a length of 8km, agreement with Roads Authority and all associated land acquisition mapping.
- Contestable Grid connection options, including:
- Route assessments and siting of 110kV overhead lines.
- Buried cable route options, assessments and feasibility.
- Negotiating consents with stakeholders and landowners on access, wayleaves and rights of way.
- Layout designs for three 33kV sub-stations and 75km of 33kV cable network.
- Consultations regarding forestry interests, landowner issues and resident’s groups.
- Full Environmental appraisals post planning on drainage and water, ecology, cultural heritage, and preparation of site specific management/ protection plans in order to comply with the landowner’s obligations under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, and to protect the Barnesmore Bog NHA where works are consented.
- Detailed Civil Design (road geometry, hardstands).
- Civil Balance of Plant (BoP) Tender Documents (FIDIC) complete. Tender process and recommendation of most economically advantageous Tenderer.
- PSDP for the full duration of the design, construction and turbine erection stages covering all windfarm and grid connection works. Civil designer duties. Preparation of Preliminary H&S Plans. Co-ordination of all other designers.
- Assessment of competence of contractor to act as PSDP.
- Construction administration including review of contractor engineering documentation, risk assessments and method statements.
- Reviewing payment applications, assessing claims and processing payment certificates.
- Managing the safety file through the project lifecycle to Client handover on project close out.