An Bord Pleanála has granted permission for an 18-turbine wind farm on the Oweninny Bog in north Mayo.

The development, proposed by Bord na Móna, is the third phase of the Oweninny wind farm and will replace an older 21-turbine wind farm built in 1992.

The overall area of Oweninny bog is approximately 5,090 hectares.

The 180MW wind farm will see the decommissioning of the old turbines - recycling where possible - and the construction of 18,200m-high turbines.

These turbines will have a hub height of 121m and a rotor diameter of 158m.

The project also includes the construction of a 110kV substation compound and an underground cable connection from the proposed substation to the existing substation at Bellacorick.

Cutaway bog

The site consists of cutaway bog, where large-scale milled peat production took place for over 50 years, supplying the ESB Bellacorick peat-fired power station.

Milled peat production ceased in 2005 following the closure of the power station, which was later decommissioned.

There remain a number of forests on site. Bord na Móna states that the project will support up to 100 jobs at peak construction and provide three to five long-term jobs in operations and maintenance.