Green light for huge solar farm on outskirts of Kilkenny city

Kilkenny County Council has given the green light for a large solar energy development on the outskirts of the city.

Harmony Solar Kilkenny Limited has been granted permission to construct the solar farm on a 46-hectare site at Smithstown.

The development received a 10-year planning permission period and a license to operate the solar farm for 35 years.

The new solar farm will consist of 293,500m2 of solar photovoltaic panels on ground mounted steel frames. An electrical substation with an electrical control building will be created, along with “an associated compound with fencing”.

According to the plans approved by the council, new transformer stations and underground power and communication cables and ducts will be constructed. Boundary security fencing, internal access tracks as well as a new site entrance off the L6235 road will also be built.

The new farm will be connected to the 110KV substation in Kilkenny, located five kilometres away.

The solar farm will be located close to Junction 11 on the M9 motorway.