Spiorad na Mara – a proposed offshore windfarm, located approximately 5-13km off the west coast of the Isle of Lewis – is about to begin its second phase of public consultation.
This consultation gets underway on Monday 2nd June with the launch of a one-month online consultation along with the first of five in-person public exhibitions, which are being held at accessible venues around the island. Dedicated information clinic appointments, for individuals or small groups who wish to further discuss specific aspects of the project, are also being made available from Monday 9th June to Friday 13th June. The consultation ends on Wednesday, 2nd July.
The focus during this second phase of consultation will be on sharing updates on the progress made since the first phase and seeking feedback on these updated plans. Details will also be included of how the earlier feedback received has been considered or will be considered as the project continues to develop.
“Since our first phase of consultation, we have made a number of changes to the project, based on the feedback we received, which builds on the information gathered from further surveys, assessments and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders,” said Martin Whyte, Project Director.
“Feedback really can help inform how we continue to develop the project in a way that best addresses the desires and concerns of local people, whilst also taking into account relevanttechnical and environmental considerations. Therefore, we want to hear from as many people as possible over the next month.
“We are committed to being inclusive in all our consultation and engagement activities and to maximising opportunities for participation by all, and we look forward to receiving more feedback over the coming weeks on our latest plans.”
Full details of the consultation, including dates, venues and activities can be found on the project website at www.spioradnamara.co.uk
The project held its first phase of public consultation in Autumn 2024, sharing early-stage project proposals. The consultation ran for one month, during which a total of 335 people visited the in-person consultation events, 1,265 people visited the online consultation and 275 feedback responses were recorded.
These consultations are in addition to the programme of wider engagement which has been ongoing since Northland Power was awarded the site by the Scottish Government in 2022 and which will continue throughout the development and construction and operations of the wind farm, if built.
Awareness of the public consultation and the activities that will form part of it is being generated in a number of ways, including the delivery of an information leaflet to over 11,000 households and other properties across the HS1 and HS2 post codes, advertisements placed in local media outlets and information provided to local community organisations to share with their members.
Following completion of this second phase of public consultation, the project expects to submit its offshore and onshore planning consents applications before the end of the year. Subject to all necessary permits and consents being received, Spiorad na Mara could begin construction in 2028 and be operational by 2031.
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
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 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 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 3.2GW (net 2.8GW) of operating capacity. The Company also has a significant inventory of projects in construction and in various stages of development encompassing approximately 12GW 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.
For further information visit www.northlandpower.com.
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.
