Primary school now powered by plant solar farm

Highland Spring provides free electricity

- ALASTAIR MCNEILL

A Perthshire primary school’s electricity is to be supplied by a solar farm set up by a neighbouring water bottling plant.

The seven-megawatt, 23-acre, Highland Spring Group project will provide Blackford Primary School with free electricity as well as rapid EV chargers for community use.

Construction is due to start this summer and it is expected the solar farm will be fully operational by early 2026.

The solar farm will also supply a quarter of Highland Spring Group's electricity needs for its main Blackford site.

Blackford Primary School headteacher Margaret McMillan said: “The solar farm is a major development for the local community and on behalf of the entire school I am delighted that we will benefit in a tangible way from Highland Spring’s focus on renewable, sustainable energy.”

Energy distribution company SSE has been appointed to manage the installation and running of the solar site on behalf of Highland Spring.