Ballinrea Solar
Ballinrea Solar Farm is Perigus Energy’s first solar farm in Ireland and was acquired from renewable developer Terra Solar in 2022.
About the project
Located between Carrigaline and Cork City, the 83MWp solar farm is expected to power up to 16,000 homes once it is operational.
It comprises two sites, one in the townland of Ballinrea and the other in the townland of Ballinvuskig. Planning permission for the solar farms was received in 2019. A grid connection offer from EirGrid was accepted in 2022 to connect the two solar farms to the electricity grid via a single 110kV underground cable connection to ESB’s Raffeen Substation, east of Carrigaline.
The solar farm comprising of over 138,000 panels and associated civil, mechanical and electrical infrastructure commenced construction in April 2025. The solar farm works are progressing well across both sites with works scheduled for substantial completion ready for site energisation in Q3 2026 subject to completion of the grid works themselves. The grid connection works comprise of a new 110kV grid connection to Raffeen Substation to the East of Carrigaline (approx. 6.5km in length), a new 110kV substation and co-located 38kV solar farm substation situated on the Ballinrea solar site. A 38kV cable with a short overhead line section will also be completed connecting the two sites. Both substation buildings are substantially complete with a final 4 month commission process scheduled to commence in Q2 2026.
The grid connection works commenced in April 2026 and are scheduled for completion in Q4 2026. The works will require short duration road closures on several roads including Cogans Lane, Fernhill Road, Shannonpark Road, Ballinrea road which will be completed in close consultation with the local county council.
For queries in relation to ongoing works or road closures please don’t hesitate to contact us at contact@perigusenergy.com or please call our Community Lead, Aidan Stakelum, on 086 103 7437.
Grid Connection and Substation
The development comprises of the construction of a 110 kV substation at the permitted Ballinrea Solar Farm (Pl. Ref. 17/6784, ABP Ref. 303013), a tail fed underground grid connection from the proposed 110kV substation to the existing Raffeen 220 KV substation, a proposed new 110kV cable bay at the existing Raffeen 220kV Substation and associated works.
10kV Substation
The proposed 110 kV substation has been designed in accordance EirGrid’s functional specifications for 110 kV substations and comprises of a single bay extendable tail-fed type C substation, 1 no EirGrid Control Building,1 no. IPP Customer Control Building, and the electrical components necessary to transmit the electrical energy generated to the national grid. Works at the proposed substation also include lightning protection, perimeter security fencing, security lighting, drainage infrastructure, and a temporary construction compound.
Grid Connection
The proposed grid connection comprises of 110 kV tail fed underground electricity interconnector cables of c. 6.25 km in length to be provided in predominantly excavated trenches and include associated fibre cable, underground ducting, 9 no. joint bays, communication chambers and all associated site development and reinstatement works. The proposed grid route works are located in the townlands of Ballinrea, Ballinrea South, Ardnacloghy, Shannonpark, Hilltown, Carrigaline Middle, Ballyhemkien, Carrigaline East and Raffeen Co. Cork and will be carried out predominantly within the public road corridor.
With rising energy costs becoming a major issue for people in Ireland throughout their day-to-day lives, there are clear benefits to be seen in the development of an indigenous renewable energy resource, like here in Ballinrea. This helps to secure Ireland’s independent future, by reducing our reliance on volatile and costly energy imports. Perigus Energy is further committed to contributing to this development and helping Ireland to position itself as a modern, low-carbon country powered by a secure, local energy generation network.
Latest News
Planning applications have been submitted to Cork City Council (Planning Reference: 23/41837) and County Council (Planning Ref: 23/04563) for minor amendments to the permitted solar farm layouts. These will allow for the now obsolete equipment included in the original applications to be replaced. The Ballinrea Solar farm amendment also includes an application for an underground 33kV electricity cable to connect the Ballinvuskig solar farm to Ballinrea solar farm.
A grid connection and substation are required to connect the permitted Solar Farm at Ballinrea (Pl. Ref. 17/674, ABP Ref. 303013) and the associated permitted solar farm at Ballinvuskig (Pl. Ref. 19/5371, ABP Ref. 305186) to the national grid. Following extensive consultation with landowners, the Cork Roads Department, the M28 team and EirGrid a satisfactory grid route corridor has been identified. The planning application for the 110kV grid connection to Raffeen Substation will include a 110kV substation at Ballinrea, the 110kV underground cable to Raffeen and additional electrical infrastructure within Raffeen Substation. This application is made directly to An Bord Pleanala as the proposed development has been determined to constitute Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID).