The British multinational promoter of the Sophia solar photovoltaic plant promoted 13 sessions to collect contributions and three clarification sessions in anticipation of the public consultation on the reformulated project that ended on Wednesday.
A day after the second public consultation for the Sophia solar photovoltaic plant, which covers the municipalities of Fundão, Idanha-a-Nova and Penamacor, in Beira Baixa, Castelo Branco district, Lightsource BP said it was reinforcing its commitment to dialogue with the territory.
“In anticipation of the new public consultation, we also promoted 13 sessions to gather contributions, with about 120 participants, and three information sessions about the reformulated project, with about 150 participants,” said the project promoter in a statement released today to the Lusa agency.
In September, the British multinational promoter of the Sophia solar photovoltaic plant reduced the installed capacity of the project by 34% in the reformulation submitted to the Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (AIA).
“With regard to the installed capacity, there is a 34% reduction, from 867 MWp (Megawatt peak) to around 573 MWp. In this context, the fenced-off area of the project is reduced by 32% and the number of fenced-off cores decreases from 44 to 22, a 50% reduction,” Lightsource BP explained in the information made available to the Lusa agency.
The initial project encompassed the municipalities of Fundão, Idanha-a-Nova and Penamacor, in the district of Castelo Branco, and had an installed capacity of 867 MWp.
The area occupied by the project’s photovoltaic modules was 390 hectares, 435 hectares when all infrastructures are included, and a total of 1,734 hectares of fenced-off area.
The period for participation in the public consultation that ended on Wednesday began on the 8th and constituted a new opportunity for citizens, associations, municipalities and other entities to present their contributions and observations on the reformulated proposal for the solar plant project.
“This stage continues the process of listening and engagement with the territory that has accompanied the project’s development. Since 2020, more than 60 entities have been contacted, about 160 meetings have been held and approximately 560 communications have been exchanged with municipalities, parish councils, farmers, associations, economic actors and civic movements,” the promoter said.
Lightsource BP also stressed that the contributions received, the opinions of the competent entities and the technical and environmental work carried out formed the basis for the substantial reformulation of the project and aimed to address the main concerns identified by the communities.
