Electricity for the south east generated at an ESB oil fired power station at Great Island in Wexford.
The new ESB power station sits at the confluence of the rivers Nore, Suir and Barrow. The site was selected to ensure the security of supply of electricity to the south eastern region and in particular to the new industrial estate in Waterford.
At this stage, Great Island has cost eight million pounds and has a generating capacity of 120 megawatts.
The power station is being developed for easy expansion and will have an investment of around £20 million over the next few years. At that stage it will be bigger than the Marina power station in Cork and second only to the Pigeon House station under construction in Dublin.
John Lang, Head of the Generation Department at the ESB, explains why oil is being used at the plant.
The large-scale generation of electricity in Ireland was based initially on the use of native resources.
Electricity generation in Ireland began with hydro plants followed by turf-fired power stations. From 1965 onwards, the only economically viable fuel available was imported oil.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 4 November 1968. The reporter is Pat Sweeney.
