An energy company linked to Coolmore Stud owner John Magnier has submitted a planning application to Tipperary County Council for underground electrical cables to connect the planned Killough Solar Farm to the national electricity grid.
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Marmoris Limited, trading as Killough Solar, has applied for permission for approximately 1.4km of underground cabling linking the solar farm to a proposed Gas Insulated Switchgear substation on agricultural lands in the townland of Graigue.
The application to the local authority relates to the cable connection, while a separate planning application has been submitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála for the proposed substation.
Both applications follow a grant of planning permission from An Coimisiún Pleanála on December 17, 2025 for the development of a solar farm at Killough Farm.
According to the application to Tipperary County Council, the cable route would run from the northern entrance gate of the solar farm along the L-4106 and L-41561 public roads before entering private lands. It would then follow an existing agricultural track to the proposed substation site in the townland of Graigue.
The route has been selected following environmental and engineering assessments as well as a public information and consultation process carried out in the final quarter of 2024.
The cables would be installed using a rolling cut, bury and reinstate method along the public roads, with works expected to progress at about 75 metres per day.
The application states that specialist trenching equipment and mobile acoustic sound barriers would be used to reduce disruption during the works.
Construction works on the L-4106 are expected to take about two weeks, while works on the L-41561 are estimated to take around one week.
Traffic management measures would be put in place during the construction period, with the developer stating that access to properties along the route would be maintained at all times.
The application also notes that road reinstatement works are expected to improve the condition of road surfaces along the route.
The proposed Gas Insulated Switchgear substation, which is the subject of the separate application to An Coimisiún Pleanála, would act as a connection point between electricity generated by the solar farm and the high voltage national grid transmission lines.
The proposed substation site is located on agricultural lands in the townland of Graigue, close to the existing Killhill to Thurles 110kV overhead transmission powerlines.
Plans state that the substation would be located within a field surrounded by existing mature hedgerows, with additional hedgerow planting proposed.
The structure would be designed to resemble a large farm shed, with acoustic insulation to reduce noise and cladding in natural coloured materials intended to blend with the surrounding landscape.
The planning application for the underground cable has been received by Tipperary County Council and a decision is due by April 29, 2026. Permission is being sought for a period of 10 years.
