AN investment by the ESB of Pounds 80 million in its Poolbeg gas turbine power station will more than triple its capacity, according to the company.

Siemens Power Generation Group has been awarded the contract by the ESB to convert the station into a "a state-of-the-art combined cycle power plant".

This will involve using the water vapour produced by the gas turbines for further electricity production.

The ESB says the investment is being made now to meet the rising demand for electricity. The money will be invested between now and the end of 1999.

For example, demand rose by 6.9 per cent last year and national demand reached an all-time high of 3,250 megawatts earlier this year.