ActewAGL has been granted environmental clearance for its plans to construct a large-scale solar farm south of Canberra.

ActewAGL lost a tender last year to build ACT’s first solar farm against a bid from Spanish firm Fotowatio Renewable Ventures to build the facility at Royalla.

Attorney-General Simon Corbell has awarded ActewAGL exemption from further environmental checks before building the  wind farm on the Angle Crossing Road site at Williamsdale on the ACT-New South Wales border. The plans for the site include 280,000 solar modules arrayed in 156 rows, with 20 megawatt capacity.

The site has been cleared under the Federal Government's environment protection legislation.  The next stage will be lodgement of a  development application which would be publicly notified.

The approval follows the loss by ActewAGL  in December of  a contract to supply electricity to major ACT government outlets. The contract, which covers provision of power to to the ACT government's larger offices, hospitals, jails and schools, was awarded to Queensland company, ERM Power Retail.