Planning sought for 100-acre solar farm near Leitrim town
An application has been lodged with Roscommon County Council for the development of a 100-acre solar farm located in Meera and Tullyleague townlands, beside Carrick-on-Shannon.
Elgin Energy Services Ltd has applied for planning permission for a 100-acre solar farm in Carrick-on-Shannon, located within the Meera and Tullyleague townlands.
The application was lodged with Roscommon County Council on January 29.
Solar farms aim to generate clean, renewable energy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, contributing to meeting national and EU renewable energy targets.
The proposed development covers approximately 37.97 hectares, with an expected 40 year operational lifespan and a capacity of about 30MW of electricity.
It includes ground-mounted solar panels arranged in rows, a 38kV ESB substation with a single storey building and associated electrical infrastructure.
Additional components of the project include up to 23 inverter stations (or alternative inverter setups), underground electrical cabling and ducting, new internal tracks and use of existing agricultural tracks.
Furthermore, the application includes storage containers, perimeter fencing and pole mounted CCTV cameras.
The development also seeks vehicular access via existing private roads that connect directly to the L50783, along with construction of two new passing bays on the same road.
Planning permission is being sought for 10 years, with a decision expected from Roscommon County Council by March 25.