Moneypoint: Ireland’s Coal Giant Shuts Down

In June 2025, Ireland burned its last lump of coal for electricity. For over 40 years, Moneypoint Power Station, a vast coal facility on the Shannon Estuary in County Clare, was one of Ireland’s dirtiest polluters. But as of this summer, coal is no longer part of Ireland’s energy mix.

This journey is a cause for real celebration as it took decades of campaigning, organising, and persistence by communities, our supporters & donors, unions, and activists. Thank you all for the continued support to make this happen. 

Commissioned in the 1980s, Moneypoint was designed to burn imported coal, mostly from Colombia, to supply up to 25% of Ireland’s electricity at its peak. Moneypoint alone accounted for around 20% of Ireland’s energy emissions for many years. The coal it burned was mined in communities affected by violence, displacement, and environmental degradation. It became an enduring symbol of Ireland’s dependence on fossil fuels. 

Together, we managed to put an end to coal in Ireland. Through the support of our supporters, donors, and allies, we highlighted again and again the need to shut it down, emphasising the how Moneypoint’s coal came from Cerrejón in Colombia, one of the world's largest open-pit coal mines. This mine has been linked to human rights abuses, forced displacements, and water contamination affecting Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. 

When ESB and others proposed keeping Moneypoint alive by converting it to burn oil or biomass, we said no. Alongside allies, we made formal planning objections, asked our supporters to help us, and have a say in public consultations,  warning against locking Ireland into another generation of fossil fuel dependency. 

Ending coal isn't just about turning off a switch. It's about supporting the workers and communities who’ve depended on that industry. We coordinated with our partners in Stop Climate Chaos, and trade unions. We helped launch Ireland’s first Just Transition Declaration, calling for fair treatment, retraining, and new opportunities for Moneypoint workers. Our message was clear: A just transition is not optional. It’s the only way to phase out fossil fuels fairly.

Thanks to continued public pressure, changes were made in government policy, forcing Moneypoint to cease coal operations.It will no longer burn coal to power our homes or industries.

The end of coal burning at Moneypoint is a significant sign of progress - and a clear indication that Ireland’s fossil fuel era can and must draw to a close. But what comes next matters just as much. The government must now ensure that oil back-up is ultimately decommissioned.

More broadly, we must confront the wider energy choices being made. The government is currently pushing ahead with at least 2 GW of new gas power plants, without a real plan to reduce Ireland’s dangerous dependence on fossil gas. At the same time, new data centres are being greenlit, increasing our energy demand and locking us deeper into fossil-fuel reliance.

Now is the moment for clear leadership. A zero-carbon energy system is the only pathway that meets Ireland’s climate and energy security objectives.

The end of coal at Moneypoint marks a powerful moment in Ireland’s energy story. It’s a reminder that people power works, and that climate action must go hand-in-hand with justice - for workers, for communities, and for those on the frontlines of extraction overseas.

Friends of the Earth will keep working to ensure that Ireland leaves all fossil fuels behind—and builds an energy future that’s fair.

👉 Join the movement and help us make the next win happen.

Blog by Ruth Jedidja Stael, Supporter Care and Fundraising Officer