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Council planning to sell off major solar farm project

09 Nov 2024 1 minute read
Cwm Ifor Solar Farm. Picture: Caerphilly County Borough Council.

Nicholas Thomas, local democracy reporter

Senior councillors plan to make money by selling off a major solar farm project.

The Cwm Ifor farm in Caerphilly could reportedly generate up to 20 megawatts of electricity, or enough to power up to 6,000 homes.

The Welsh Government approved planning permission in May for the project, which owing to its scale is considered a “development of national significance”.

Financial return

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet members then agreed to sell the project at a private meeting in mid-September.

Deputy leader Cllr Jamie Pritchard, who is also the council’s cabinet member for regeneration, said “our mission was always to bring a financial return to the council and carbon reduction to help us meet our emissions target”.

He said money made from the project will “help us meet the challenges that we have to address” – the council is facing an estimated £45 million budget shortfall over the next two years.

Construction work on the solar farm is expected to start in April 2026.

The council said Savills has been appointed to manage the sale of the project.


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Neil Anderson
Neil Anderson
28 days ago

The best option would have been to sell the solar project to residents and other small investors to ensure long-term preferential tariffs.

The worst option will be to sell it to a hedge fund (etc) that will maximise profits and ramp up electricity prices at every opportunity.

Just who does the Council think it is serving?

hdavies15
hdavies15
28 days ago
Reply to  Neil Anderson

In the case of CBC the answer to your question is – “probably themselves “

Howie
Howie
28 days ago

Should have been a community energy offering.
Councils and WG talk about delivering community benefits but in reality they go for the easy option and a quick buck with money being made by agents and faceless businesses.

Why vote
Why vote
28 days ago

Elected or employed to run a multi million pound council, Q 1 how much money can be raised through a sale? Q2 how much money can be raised if it is run in house by the council for 10 years 20 years ++? Which scheme will benefit the council/ general public the most or is desperation for cash fueling the sale of this enterprise.

T3DSK1
T3DSK1
28 days ago

Same old clusterfudge

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