Reduced from the original proposal of 112 wind turbines, An Bord Pleanála has announced its decision to grant planning permission to the development by Oweninny Power Limited, a joint venture between the ESB and Bord Na Móna.

Once built, the wind farm will have a maximum electricity generating capacity of 172 megawatts. It is hoped to be fully operational by 2020.

Despite much opposition from the local community, An Bord Pleanála has ruled that the development would not have a significant adverse impact on the landscape or affect the integrity of any sites of environmental significance.

All the site lands are owned by Bord na Móna and comprise cutaway and cutover bog land.

Bord na Móna says that the proposed project will include a visitor centre as part of the farm to display the local heritage of industrial scale peat production, wind energy technology and the evolution of habitats on site resulting from bog rehabilitation works carried out by Bord na Móna following the cessation of peat operations.