Kepak plant gets go-ahead to install 4,500 solar panels
Kepak Athleague have been loyal and generous sponsors of the Roscommon Senior Hurling Championship for many years, and this year is no exception. Pictured are Gerry Keane, Roscommon Hurling Board Treasurer, accepting a cheque for €3,000 from Darragh McHugh, General Manager and David Mannion, Procurement Manager, Kepak Athleague. Picture: Gerard O’Loughlin
The Kepak plant in Athleague has received the go-ahead from Roscommon County Council to install almost 4,500 solar panels, which will generate electricity for the meat factory.
The site is in a field only accessible by way of a private access serving the meat processing facility. The site measures 7.5 acres and has boundaries of mature trees.
The plans involve the installation of 12,970 square metres of photovoltaic panels mounted at ground level, comprising 4,492 panels in total.
In the planner’s report, it was noted that the application “represented an opportunity to provide a renewable form of energy to serve the adjoining long established commercial enterprise”.
The report also outlined that Kepak had consulted with a number of companies who carried out “Glint and Glare Assessments”, and they confirmed that these assessments “do not consider birds as a potential receptor for glare impact”.
The solar panel development was granted permission, subject to 16 conditions, including that noise levels during the operational phase be within the permitted limits.
