SSE files planning application for 102MW Crumhach Wind Farm in County Sligo to replace two existing sites
Image generated with artificial intelligenceSSE has filed a planning application with An Coimisiún Pleanála for the proposed Crumhach Wind Farm, a 102MW onshore wind development near Dromore West in County Sligo. The submission follows community consultations that began in early 2024 and would see the project replace two existing SSE-operated sites—the 25MW Kingsmountain Wind Farm and the 11MW Dunneill Wind Farm—which have been generating electricity in the area for over two decades.
SSE submits planning application for Crumhach Wind Farm
The formal application covers up to 17 modern wind turbines and a new 110kV on-site substation. The site sits near Dromore West in County Sligo, with the project boundary taking in both existing wind farm footprints and adjacent greenfield land.
SSE’s engagement with the local community stretches back to early 2024. Two in-person consultation events took place in Dromore West and Templeboy in July 2025, giving residents and stakeholders a direct look at the proposals before the application was lodged. All planning documents are publicly accessible—the Environmental Impact Assessment Report, the Natura Impact Statement, and the full application pack are available at www.crumhachwfplanning.com.
Since 2004, the company has contributed over €650,000 (roughly $715,000) to local groups through the existing Kingsmountain and Dunneill Community Benefit Fund.
Why SSE is redeveloping Kingsmountain and Dunneill
Both existing sites have delivered clean electricity to Irish homes and businesses for well over two decades. Kingsmountain came online in 2003 with a 25MW capacity; Dunneill followed in 2010 with 11MW. Together, they currently run 23 turbines—a technology generation now approaching the end of its productive life.
Swapping aging turbines for fewer but more powerful machines is a well-established move in the wind industry. SSE’s plan to replace 23 older turbines with up to 17 modern ones reflects how dramatically the technology has advanced since the early 2000s, with each new unit carrying significantly more generating capacity than what it replaces. The redevelopment also pushes beyond the existing site boundaries, incorporating adjacent greenfield land to help maximize output from the West Sligo location.
A separate planning application will follow for a new grid connection route linking the wind farm to the Srananagh 220kV substation in East Sligo. That connection would supplement the existing infrastructure at the Cunghill 110kV substation to the south-east of the site.
Capacity increase and grid connection details
The numbers are worth pausing on. Kingsmountain and Dunneill together deliver 36MW of installed capacity. If Crumhach gets approved and built as proposed, that figure jumps to 102MW—almost triple the current output from the same general location.
Grid connection unfolds in two stages. Near-term, Crumhach would rely on the existing Cunghill 110kV substation. The longer-term tie-in to Srananagh 220kV is the subject of a separate planning process that SSE says it’ll bring forward in due course. Final delivery isn’t guaranteed by the planning application alone—the project still needs to clear planning consent for the wind farm itself, a separate consent for the grid connection route, a commercial route to market, and a final investment decision.
Ghislain Demeuldre, SSE Renewables‘ Ireland Head of Onshore Wind, Solar and Battery Development, framed the project in broader terms. He said projects like Crumhach are “critical to strengthening energy security and reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels in an increasingly uncertain world.”
Jobs, community benefits, and local investment
Beyond megawatts, SSE is making an economic case for the project. Construction of Crumhach could support up to 100 jobs at peak — a meaningful boost for the West Sligo area — while ongoing operations are expected to sustain up to three full-time roles once the wind farm is running.
Community benefit sits at the center of the proposal. If the wind farm reaches commercial operation, SSE would establish a new community benefit fund in its first year, calculated at €2 (roughly $2.20) for every megawatt hour of electricity produced, in line with the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment’s Community Benefit Rulebook published in 2025. Based on Crumhach’s projected output, SSE says the fund would deliver multimillion-euro benefits to surrounding communities over the wind farm’s lifetime.
SSE’s track record in the area provides useful context. Since 2004, the company has contributed over €650,000 (roughly $715,000) to local groups through the existing Kingsmountain and Dunneill Community Benefit Fund. Crumhach’s linked fund — tied directly to productivity rather than a fixed annual sum — is designed to scale that contribution significantly. The wind farm would also contribute to commercial rates, supporting local infrastructure and services across County Sligo more broadly.
SSE has formally entered the planning process for a 102MW wind farm that would consolidate and replace two aging County Sligo sites it has operated since the early 2000s. If consented and built, Crumhach would nearly triple renewable energy capacity at the location, support up to 100 construction jobs, and establish a new community benefit fund expected to deliver multimillion-euro returns over its operational life. Planning approval for both the wind farm and a separate grid connection route, along with a commercial route to market and a final investment decision, all need to fall into place before the project can move forward.
Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.
