A proposed solar farm which would cover 2,700 acres (1,090 hectares) of countryside would cost £1bn to build, according to the company behind the plans.
Developer Island Green Power (IGP) has said the East Pye scheme on land near Long Stratton in Norfolk will generate enough power for 115,000 homes.
But the plan has been strongly opposed by nearby residents and campaign groups, concerned about the loss of agricultural land and impact on the countryside.
Because of the scale of the project the final decision on it will be made by the energy secretary, Miatta Fahnbulleh, rather than local planners.
In documents submitted to the government, IGP said the £1bn figure included land acquisition, construction and installation costs.
It is thought that would make it one of the most expensive solar farms in the UK, with the similarly-sized Botley West project near Oxford estimated to cost £800m.
Approximately £7.5m has already been spent on preparing the East Pye application.
IGP, owned by the Australian firm Macquarie Asset Management, said it would seek to cover the overall costs through funding from private investors.
The company has said the solar farm will help the UK reduce its carbon emissions and meet ambitious net zero targets set by ministers.
However, opponents of the scheme said they feared the final costs would be recouped through energy bills.
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David Hook, chairman of the parish council in nearby Hempnall, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the figure was "astronomical".
"It is going to have to be covered by someone, somehow, somewhere," said Hook, who also chairs Norfolk's Campaign to Protect Rural England group.
In Saxlingham Nethergate, developers will have to widen the road through the village to allow them to bring panels and other material to the fields.
Elsje Stocker, chair of the parish council, fears ramblers will stop visiting the village, known for its miles of public footpaths.
She said people were unlikely to want to walk through an area dominated by huge panels.
"It is going to become a blight on the countryside that people won't want to come to. Why would you walk through solar panels?"
A spokesman for IGP said "solar energy is among the cheapest power produced in Great Britain, supporting the aim of reducing bills for homes and businesses."
Public hearings into the project are due to begin next month.
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