Cambridgeshire County Council's Environment and Green Investment Committee has approved plans to procure new operation and maintenance (O&M) arrangements for the council's major renewable energy projects, including Triangle Solar Farm and North Angle Solar Farm.
The council's solar energy programme supports its ambition for a greener, more sustainable county by generating low-carbon electricity, reducing climate impacts and delivering long-term environmental benefits.
At its meeting today (Thursday 8 October), the committee approved the procurement of new O&M contracts to support the long-term performance of the council's large-scale energy assets. The arrangements will help maximise electricity generation, minimise downtime and protect income generated through council-owned renewable energy infrastructure.
The new contracts will cover routine inspections, performance monitoring, fault repairs and site management activities, helping ensure the solar farms remain safe, compliant and operating efficiently. Running a single procurement process for both sites is expected to deliver better value for money and attract strong market interest while maintaining separate contracts for each solar farm. The value of the new contracts is expected to be around £4.4 million over their full term.
The decision supports the continued operation of the council's two solar farms near Soham, which generate clean energy, reduce carbon emissions and provide income that can be reinvested in local and frontline services.
Triangle Solar Farm, the council's first large-scale solar farm, has been operational since 2017. The 12MW site generates around 13 million kWh of electricity each year, enough to power around 3,000 homes, and delivered approximately £780,000 in net revenue to support council services in 2025-26.
Located on adjacent land, North Angle Solar Farm began generating electricity in November 2024. The 29.4MW site can produce enough renewable electricity to meet the annual needs of around 12,000 households. Since becoming operational, it has generated £4million for the council and supplies power directly to the Swaffham Prior Heat Network energy centre.
Both solar farms were constructed and are currently managed by Equans under O&M contracts which are due to expire in early 2028, creating an opportunity to align procurement arrangements across the neighbouring sites while maintaining continuity of service.
The solar farms form part of the council's wider portfolio of energy projects, which also includes the Swaffham Prior Heat Network and smart energy grids at the St Ives and Babraham Road Park & Ride sites.
Councillor Ros Hathorn, Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council's Environment and Green Investment Committee, said: "Our council-owned solar farms are making an important contribution to Cambridgeshire's climate ambitions, generating low-carbon electricity while supporting environmental improvements and habitat creation.
"Triangle Solar Farm has demonstrated how renewable energy can deliver both environmental and financial benefits for local communities, while North Angle Solar Farm is building on that success at an even greater scale.
"By putting the right operation and maintenance arrangements in place, we can protect the long-term performance of these sites, helping us tackle climate change, restore nature and generate income that can be reinvested into frontline council services."
Alongside generating renewable electricity, North Angle Solar Farm includes community-accessible green space, woodland and orchards. Both solar farms contribute to the council's net zero ambitions and wider environmental objectives, with natural habitats continuing to recover and diversify across the sites, supporting thriving birdlife and other wildlife.
For more information about the council's large-scale energy projects, visit: Large scale renewable energy and storage | Cambridgeshire County Council
The committee report can be viewed at: www.cambridgeshire.cmis.uk.com
