Press Release
EDINBURGH, August 26, 2025: Spiorad na Mara – a proposed offshore windfarm, located approximately 5-13km off the west coast of the Isle of Lewis – has published a report summarising its second phase of public consultation, held between 2nd June and 2nd July 2025, and the feedback received throughout.
The purpose of the consultation was to provide an update on the project proposals to community members and other stakeholders following further assessments and design changes, and to show how the project considered the feedback received during the first phase of public consultation, which was undertaken between 23rd September and 23rd October 2024.
The 38-page report provides a comprehensive overview of the consultation, including a summary of the activities undertaken, details on the level of engagement, the extent and type of feedback received, along with details of the next steps in the project’s design and development journey.
A total of 152 people attended the in-person public events (public exhibitions and information clinics) and 1,223 visits were made to the on-line exhibition platform. In total, 304 written pieces of feedback were recorded.
“We are very pleased with the levels of engagement and the quality of the feedback received, which is being considered by the team as we continue to refine the development and design of the project,” said Martin Whyte, Project Director, Spiorad na Mara.
“In line with our first consultation, we received a wide range of views and opinions. Some people continue to have reservations and concerns about the project, as reflected in much of the written feedback we received, but we were encouraged by the number of people who attended expressing support for the project and a desire to see it progress.
“We have worked hard to understand the community in Lewis and tailor our engagement and consultation to match its needs and expectations, recognising the importance of all voices being heard. We will continue to do this at every stage in the project because we truly believe that, by doing so, we will deliver the best project along with extensive, long-lasting benefits for local communities.”
The full report is available in PDF format here::
Spiorad na Mara is owned by Northland Power (75.5%) and ESB (24.5%), with Northland leading on the development, construction, and operation.
Contact:
Steve Thomas
Communications Lead, Northland Power
+44 (0)7359 614023
steve.thomas@northlandpower.com
About Spiorad na Mara
Spiorad na Mara is a proposed offshore wind farm, located approximately 5-13 km off the west coast of Lewis. With an expected installed capacity of around 900 MW, it could meet the equivalent average annual electricity needs of around 1.2 million1 Scottish homes with renewable electricity and save more than 1.7 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year.
Further information is available at www.spioradnamara.co.uk
1 More than 1.2 million homes powered per annum based on the average Scottish annual household electricity consumption of 3,078 kWh in 2022 (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/regional-and-local-authority-electricity-consumption-statistics) together with a minimum projected 50% wind load factor and a projected installed capacity of up to 900MW.
About Northland Power
Northland Power is a Canada-based global power producer dedicated to accelerating the global energy transition. Founded in 1987, with almost four decades of experience, Northland has a long history of developing, owning and operating a diversified mix of energy infrastructure assets including offshore and onshore wind, solar, battery energy storage, and natural gas. Northland also supplies energy through a regulated utility.
Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with global offices in seven countries, Northland owns or has an economic interest in 3.5 GW of gross operating generating capacity, 2.2 GW under construction and an inventory of early to mid-stage development opportunities encompassing approximately 10 GW of potential capacity.
Publicly traded since 1997, Northland’s Common Shares, Series 1 and Series 2 Preferred Shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols NPI, NPI.PR.A and NPI.PR.B, respectively.
About ESB
ESB is involved in six offshore wind projects and 2GW of onshore wind projects in Scotland, as part of its drive for a 5GW renewable electricity portfolio across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain by 2030. Since its foundation almost 100 years ago, ESB has always been fully invested in the lives of the customers and communities we serve. We have set a target to achieve net zero by 2040 and have committed to do this in a way that enables communities and natural habitats to thrive. Our focus is on developing and connecting renewables, building resilient infrastructure and empowering our customers to live healthier, more sustainable lives using clean electricity.