The River Liffey Scheme is made up of three separate power stations:
Station: Golden Falls
County: Kildare
Fuel type: Hydro
Capacity: 4MW
Status: Active
Commissioned: 1943
Station: Poulaphuca
County: Wicklow
Fuel type: Hydro
Capacity: 30MW
Status: Active
Commissioned: 1944
Station: Leixlip
County: Kildare
Fuel type: Hydro
Capacity: 4MW
Status: Active
Commissioned: 1949
Each of the Liffey hydro stations are located at a point on the Liffey river where natural falls provide suitable sites for developing hydro power plants.
A selection of construction photos taken between 1938 and 1940 can be viewed here.
Current hydrometric information on the Scheme is available here.
After passing through Poulaphuca and then Golden Falls, the river flows 56km through County Kildare to Leixlip. Commissioned in 1938, these stations have a combined capacity of 38 MW. Poulaphuca is the largest complex, with two 15 MW generators and there is one 4 MW generator each at Golden Falls and Leixlip.
Liffey PR Pamphlet, 1970s
These three stations also form part of the Turlough Hill Stations group.
Click the images to the left and blow for more information relating to the operation of the Liffey Scheme.
Golden Falls Power Station from book “A Heritage Inventory of ESB Buildings in Ireland”
Pollaphuca Power Station from book “A Heritage Inventory of ESB Buildings in Ireland”
Leixlip Power Station from book “A Heritage Inventory of ESB Buildings in Ireland”