A 60MW solar farm is planned for construction near Carrick-on-Suir Waterford, with An Bord Pleanála giving the project the green light.

The proposed Mothel Phase 2 Solar Farm will be built on a 141 hectare site approximately 4.4km south of Carrick-on-Suir.

When operational, the solar farm will generate 56,000MWh of electricity each year, enough to power 13,500 homes.

The solar farm will comprise linear arrays of solar PV panels mounted on steel-supported structures, along with 28 single-storey inverters and associated site works.

Other works on the site will include perimeter fencing, 49 onsite pole mounted CCTV cameras, and four site access points with security gates.

The development land for the solar farm is spread across five adjacent land parcels in the townlands of Bishopstown, Bridgetown, Ballyhest and Ballyneale in Carrick-on-Suir.

Once work on the solar farm has begun, it is expected that construction will take approximately 10-12 months to complete.

This development will be Phase 2 of the Mothel Solar Farm, the first 30MW stage of which was approved in 2019.

The new 60MW Phase 2 development will connect to the national grid via the 110kV substation already approved for Phase 1 of the Mothel Solar Farm.

A 10 year planning permission has been approved for the solar farm, which is expected to have a 40 year operational lifespan.

The developer will also be establishing a Community Support Fund, as required by law, worth €115,632 per year which will support local organisations.

BNRGN Mothel Limited has received planning permission for the proposed solar farm from An Bord Pleanála, after multiple third party appeals were made against Waterford County Council’s decision to approve the development.

The planning permission by Waterford County Council was subject to 17 third party appeals to An Bord Pleanála.

The appellants claimed that the solar farm would harm local residential and recreational amenities, and tourism potential, that the chosen land was not suitable, and that it could harm local biodiversity, among other concerns.

Waterford County Council responded that it was satisfied that the planning decision had been made correctly.

Planning permission for the solar farm was granted by An Bord Pleanála with 23 revised conditions attached.