Spiorad na Mara – a proposed offshore windfarm, located approximately 5-13km off the west coast of the Isle of Lewis – has announced details
of its first phase of public consultation.
Commencing on 23rd September, this first phase of public consultation is an essential part of the development process for Spiorad na Mara, during which the project team will share
the latest updates on all aspects of the project and invite feedback.
The range of topics to be presented as part of the consultation will include offshore array layout options; offshore cable route corridors; onshore cable route corridors; potential
landfall and substation locations; Environmental Impact Assessment work and supply chain opportunities.
Feedback received will help inform how the project design and development progresses, in a way that best addresses the desires and concerns of local people, whilst also balancing
relevant technical and environmental considerations.
“This is the first of two very important phases of public consultation, and is in addition to the programme of wider engagement which has been ongoing since 2022, when the seabed area option was awarded to Northland Power by the Scottish Government,” said Tanya Davies, Project Director.
“We are committed to being inclusive in our consultation activities and to maximising opportunities for participation by all. To achieve this, we will make information available online, hold in-person exhibitions at local venues, and make project team members available for small-group or individual meetings through information clinics.”
Awareness of the public consultation and the activities that will form part of it is being created in a number of ways, including the delivery, by Royal Mail, of leaflets to over 11,000 households and other properties across the HS1 and HS2 postcodes, which commenced on 26th August; advertisements placed in local media outlets and information provided to local community organisations to share with their members.
This first phase of public consultation starts on Monday 23rd September, with the launch of an online consultation room which will run until Thursday 23rd October. On Tuesday 24th
September, the project will hold the first of seven in-person consultation events at venues around the island. Full listings of the dates, venues and consultation activities can
be found on the project website at: https://northlandpowerscotwind.co.uk/public-consultation-update/
A second phase of public consultation will follow and is expected to take place in early 2025. At this point, feedback from the first consultation will have been considered in detail and taken into account, as appropriate, and updated project plans will be shared.
Spiorad na Mara is owned by Northland Power (75.5%) and ESB (24.5%), with Northland leading on the development, construction, and operation.
The project is still in the early stages of development and, subject to all necessary permits and consents being received, Spiorad na Mara could begin construction in 2028 and be operational by 2031.
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 average annual electricity needs of around 1.2 million1 Scottish homes with low-cost renewable electricity and save more than 1.7 million1 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
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 3.4GW (net 2.9GW) 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 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.
