Longford solar farm will have capacity to power over 15,000 homes

ESB recently marked the start of construction of Middleton House Solar Farm, located to the northeast of Lanesboro, with its Executive Director, Generation and Trading, Jim Dollard. On the same day, ESB marked the official transfer of land and a building on the former Lough Ree Power site.

The main construction phase of the multi-million-euro solar farm project commenced in September and once complete, the solar farm will generate 57MW of clean electricity that will have enough capacity to power over 15,000 homes. 

The project is aligned with ESB’s net zero by 2040 strategy and will utilise existing infrastructure from the former peat station at Lough Ree Power to connect to the national grid.

An underground cable will connect the solar farm back to the grid connection at Lanesboro via a disused railway track formerly used to transport peat to the power station.   

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A significant building on the site of the former power station in Lanesboro is being handed over to Longford County Council for the benefit of local organisations for community use and long-term community gain. 

The building, known locally as the ‘Tomato Shed’ was so called as a horticultural business operated on the site previously with water provided from the old Lanesboro Peat Station. 

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In more recent years, the building was refurbished as a store for the subsequent Lough Ree Power development. In addition, ESB recently made available a €500k community benefit fund to Longford County Council.

CAPTION: At the official transfer of land and a building on the former Lough Ree Power site known locally as the ‘Tomato Shed’ to Longford County Council is Jim Dollard, ESB, Mark Casey, Cathaoirleach, Longford County Council, and Paddy Mahon, Chief Executive, Longford County Council Picture: Chris Bellew / Fennell Photography 2024

Jim Dollard, ESB Executive Director, Generation and Trading, commented: “ESB has a long history in electricity generation in the Midlands. We believe this will continue through projects like Middleton House which will help the region remain a strategic energy hub as part of Ireland’s clean energy future with solar very much helping to power this transition. I am delighted to be here to mark the construction phase of the project, along with the official transfer of the building. We are very pleased to do this and handover the building to Longford County Council for the benefit of the surrounding community.” 

Paddy Mahon, Chief Executive, Longford County Council, commented: "As ESB starts construction of Middleton House Solar Farm, it marks a major milestone in the development and delivery of renewable energy infrastructure in the county. Also as the building at Lough Ree Power is transferred to Longford County Council, along with the €500k in funding that is being made available to local community groups, we thank the ESB knowing that this contribution will make a real and meaningful difference for communities in the area."

The project will be delivered for ESB by partners Wills Bros, Powercomm and Voltalia.

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ESB’s Net Zero by 2040 strategy includes a commitment to deliver more than a fivefold increase in renewable generation to 5,000MW, with solar playing an important part in this alongside offshore and onshore wind, battery and green hydrogen projects. Middleton House Solar Farm forms part of ESB’s pipeline of utility-scale solar farms throughout the midlands, south & south-east of the country.

For more information, visit www.middletonhousesolarfarm.ie