Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has submitted plans to install 20,000 solar panels to generate renewable energy at its Five Fords wastewater treatment works nr Marchwiel, Wrexham.

Plans have now been submitted to Wrexham County Borough Council which outlines the utility company’s proposals to install the 20,000 solar panels on land within the boundary of the treatment works and on adjoining land in its ownership.

The treatment works - which benefited from an investment of £23 million to install Anaerobic Digesters in 2012 - is the company’s largest treatment works in north Wales, serving a population of 96 thousand households. The proposed solar panels will generate 4.8MW of energy – which is enough to power 1500 homes.

The company said the plans will play a key part in helping the company become more self-sufficient in energy generation and reduce its carbon footprint. It will also benefit customers by reducing overall operating costs.

Mike Pedley, Dŵr Cymru’s Head of Energy said:

“The proposed solar panels at Five Fords will help to reduce our carbon footprint and benefit the environment as we become more self sufficient moving into the future. We have set an ambitious target to reduce this footprint by 25% by 2015.”

“The treatment and transportation of drinking water and wastewater are energy intensive processes which are reflected in our annual energy bill of over £40 million. By generating our own energy we can reduce our operating costs which will then help to keep our customers bills as low as possible.”

The solar panels will have a 20 year operational life span - after which they will either be renewed or the land will be returned to agricultural land.