Ireland shuts last coal plant, becomes 15th coal-free country in Europe
Source: Hacker News
Moneypoint in County Clare, Ireland, has shut down power generation at the country’s sole remaining coal plant, joining a growing list of European nations exiting coal. The plant now operates only as a backup oil burner under emergency instruction and is no longer active in the wholesale electricity market.
Closure of Moneypoint Coal Plant
On 20 June 2025, Ireland became the 15th coal‑free country in Europe after ending coal power generation at the 915 MW Moneypoint plant. Commissioned in the mid‑1980s by ESB to offset the 1970s oil crises, the plant is now being phased out in line with EirGrid and ESB’s plan to exit coal‑fired generation by the end of 2025.
Renewable Energy Growth in Ireland
Ireland’s rapid expansion of renewable generation has reduced the need for coal. According to the energy think‑tank Ember, wind power supplied 37 % (11.4 TWh) of Ireland’s electricity in 2024, while solar contributed 0.97 TWh and has been breaking generation records in recent months.
Ember electricity data explorer – Ireland
Backup Role and Future Plans
Following the closure, Moneypoint will retain a limited backup function, burning heavy‑fuel oil under emergency instruction from Ireland’s transmission system operator EirGrid until 2029. This arrangement aligns with the earlier commitment that the plant would cease participation in the wholesale market.
Reactions
“Ireland has quietly rewritten its energy story, replacing toxic coal with home‑grown renewable power,” said Alexandru Mustață, campaigner on coal and gas at Europe’s Beyond Fossil Fuels.
“But this isn’t ‘job done’. The government’s priority now must be building a power system for a renewable future; one with the storage, flexibility, and grid infrastructure needed to run fully on clean, domestic renewable electricity.”
Jerry Mac Evilly, Campaigns Director at Friends of the Earth Ireland, urged the government to keep the oil backup at Moneypoint to an absolute minimum and eventually decommission it. He also called for a halt to further data‑center development, which he says increases Ireland’s reliance on fossil gas.
“We also can’t ignore that the government is targeting the installation of at least 2 GW of gas power plants with no strategy to reduce Ireland’s dangerous gas dependency.”
European Coal Phase‑out Context
Ireland’s coal‑plant closure sets a precedent for other European countries. Beyond Fossil Fuels tracks progress on coal phase‑outs, noting that 23 European nations have committed to ending coal use. Italy is expected to complete its mainland coal phase‑out this summer with the closure of its last two large coal plants, and mainland Spain is also poised to declare itself coal‑free this summer.