193 Mr. Enright asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the progress to date regarding the building of the new electricity generating station at Shannonbridge, County Offaly. [23470/01]

Progress on the construction of power stations is a day to day matter for the companies concerned. However, in this case construction cannot commence until final planning permission and an integrated pollution control licence are in place. The approval of public service obligation arrangements by the Commission of the European Union is also a prerequisite for the ESB and this latter is still under discussion between my Department and the ESB. Assuming satisfactory outcomes in these matters, the ESB would expect to commence construction early in 2002.