The Planning Authority has approved plans for the setting up of a communal solar photovoltaic farm system on top of the Fiddien Reservoir in Rabat.

The solar panels will take up 10,675-square metres. The reservoir was built in the early 1960s between Ħabel ix-Xiħ and Ix-Xagħra tas-Sentini.

The Sustainable Energy and Water Conservation Unit (SEWCU), promoting the development, proposed that the photovoltaic panels, measuring one metre by one metre and sixty centimetres be kept to a maximum height of 20 centimetres, lower than the well-mouth of the reservoir.

A 2,600-square metre area in front of the reservoir adjacent to Triq Bieb ir-Ruwa shall be used as site offices, storage area and machinery yard. The site will be re-instated to its original condition once the project is wrapped up.

Measures to reduce possible sources of light pollution from the proposed development were included following a representation by the Light Pollution Awareness Group.

SEWCU, the applicant, is the government agency responsible for the setting up of national policies related to sustainable energy and water use, the preparation of national plans to meet National and EU targets in energy and water resources management and the implementation of the measures to achieve these targets.