GLASGOW, October 20th 2023
The latest milestone to be reached in the development of Spiorad na Mara – a proposed offshore wind farm approximately 5-13km off the coast of the Isle of Lewis – sees the project issue its Scoping Report to regulators and a wide range of statutory and non-statutory consultees.
The purpose of the Scoping Report is to engage with stakeholders as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, inviting them to comment on the proposed approach being adopted by Spiorad na Mara and to ensure that a robust Environmental Impact Assessment Report is submitted in support of the eventual application for planning consent.
The Scoping Report sets out the topics to be assessed in the EIA. This helps the project and statutory consultees to agree what information is needed, together with the methods that will be used to identify and assess the impacts that could arise from the project, both offshore and onshore.
“This is a very important milestone for the project and a key part of the early development stage of any offshore wind farm,” said Tanya Davies, Project Director of Spiorad na Mara. “The feedback and input from consultees will enrich and inform our future plans, as we continue to progress the development and design of the project.”
The Scoping Report marks the start of the formal EIA process and can be viewed at the Marine Directorate here:
Additional background information on the role of the Scoping Report can be found here:
In another development, following a recent application to the National Grid Electricity System Operator regarding the grid connection for Spiorad na Mara, it is expected that the potential maximum installed capacity of the project will change from 840MW to around 900MW. This would give the project the capacity to meet the average annual electricity needs of 815,000 Scottish households, an increase of 55,000.
This modest increase will not change the project footprint, either onshore or offshore.
During 2024, at least two phases of formal public consultation are expected to take place on the project. During each of these consultations, the latest plans and proposals for the project will be shared, providing local communities, members of the public and all other stakeholders with an opportunity to ask questions and give feedback, prior to the planning application being submitted.
Spiorad na Mara is owned by Northland Power (75.5%) and ESB (24.5%), with Northland leading on the development, construction, and operation.
Further information on the Spiorad na Mara project is available at www.spioradnamara.co.uk.
Contact:
Steve Thomas
Communications Adviser, Northland Power
+44 (0)7359 614023
steve.thomas@northlandpower.com
About Spiorad na Mara
Spiorad na Mara is a proposed fixed-bottom turbine offshore wind farm with associated onshore infrastructure, located approximately 5-13 km off the west coast of Lewis. With an expected installed capacity of around 900 MW, it could meet the average annual electricity needs of around 815,000 Scottish homes with locally produced, low-cost renewable electricity, and save almost 1.36 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year.
Spiorad na Mara is owned by Northland Power (75.5%) and ESB (24.5%), with Northland leading on the development, construction, and operation.
Further information is available at www.spioradnamara.co.uk
About Northland Power
Northland Power is a global power producer dedicated to helping the clean energy transition by producing electricity from clean renewable resources. Founded in 1987, Northland has a long history of developing, building, owning and operating clean and green power infrastructure assets and is a global leader in offshore wind. In addition, Northland owns and manages a diversified generation mix including onshore renewables, efficient natural gas energy, as well as supplying energy through a regulated utility.
Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with global offices in eight countries, Northland owns or has an economic interest in approximately 3.2 GW (net 2.7 GW) of operating capacity. The Company also has a significant inventory of projects in construction and in various stages of development encompassing approximately 16 GW of potential capacity.
For further information visit www.northlandpower.com.
About ESB
ESB has been Ireland’s foremost energy company since it was established in 1927, driven by an unwavering commitment to power society forward and deliver a net-zero future for our customers and the communities we serve.
ESB is involved in six offshore wind projects in Scotland, which complements a 1,200MW pipeline of onshore wind farms.
As a strong, diversified utility, ESB operates across the electricity market, from generation through transmission and distribution, to supply of customers in addition to using our networks to carry fibre for telecommunications. As at year-end 2022, ESB has a regulated asset base of approximately €12.0 billion (comprising ESB Networks €9.7 billion and NIE Networks €2.3 billion), a 30% share of generation in the all-island market, and supply businesses supplying electricity and gas to over two million customer accounts throughout the island of Ireland and Great Britain. At June 2023, ESB Group employed almost 9,000 people.
