SSE, the electricity and energy supplier, has just opened its first electric car charging hub in Ireland.
The new hub is located in Lough Sheever Corporate Park in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. It’s the first in a planned series of 300 charging connectors that SSE will roll out across the UK and Ireland in the next five years.
How many chargers are at this new site?
The Lough Sheever charging hub has ten individual charging bays, with chargers capable of delivering up to 150kW each. On average, SSE says that’s enough to add 12.5km of range for every minute of charging. To further bolster the environmental credentials of EVs charging at the site, SSE says that the chargers are powered by traceable, renewable energy.
The hub is one of the first in Ireland specifically designed to accommodate electric HGVs, vans, and passenger cars. The EV HGV market is still small in Ireland, but it will become increasingly significant in the coming years. Four of the charging bays are designed as long-wheelbase, drive-through bays, especially for big trucks.
All of the chargers use tap-and-go payments, and for UK visitors, there’s an agreement with Octopus Energy as a roaming payments partner.
How many chargers do we need?
In a statement, SSE said: “There is growing demand for EV charging infrastructure in Ireland, as evidenced by the publication of the National EV Charging Infrastructure Strategy in January 2023, and recent publication of the draft National En-Route EV Charging Plan. SSE’s plans will help Ireland accelerate action to meet government targets, while building consumer confidence in EV charging. Over the coming months, SSE will open further hubs at various Irish locations including Blanchardstown Business Park, Greenogue Industrial Estate (both County Dublin), and Ashbourne Retail Park (County Meath).”
SSE also recent announced a major tie-up with French energy giant Total Energies to create a new charging brand for Ireland and the UK called Source. All of SSE’s charging points will eventually be rebranded as Source chargers, and the plan is for some 3,000 high power charge points to be rolled out over the next five years.
What comes next?
Sean O’Callaghan, SSE’s EV Operations Director, said: “With the number of EVs on Irish roads growing quickly, the deployment of fast and reliable EV charging infrastructure is essential. The launch of our first ultra-rapid charging hub in Ireland is proof that SSE will support the Irish Government’s ambitions to meet the demand for this infrastructure and this is just the beginning of our ambitions. We are working to build a network of easy-to-reach charging points that will serve communities across Ireland.”
Peter Burke, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, said: “To reduce transport emissions and meet our climate targets, the Government is committed to promoting and incentivising the use of EVs. Private investment like this is essential to grow the network with the pace and scale required to meet Ireland’s ambitious targets. I am delighted SSE has selected Mullingar as the location of their first EV charging Hub in Ireland. I have no doubt that businesses in the region with eHGVs, as well as members of the public, will benefit from this innovative site.”