SSE Lines Up New Scottish Windfarm

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland) -- Scotland's Scottish and Southern Energy plc (PINK:SSEZY) (SSE) (Perth) has submitted a proposal to build a 26 turbine onshore windfarm in Glencassley, northwest of Lairg in the Scottish Highlands.

The windfarm, which will have a generation capacity of 78-megawatts (MW), has been almost halved in size to help overcome objections to the windfarm's location. As well reducing the number of turbines from 47 to 26, turbine height has been reduced from 135 metres to 126.5 metres to reduce visibility. The changes are the result of almost two years of consultation and assessments.

"We believe that Glencassley is a well-sited project and that the refined design, following consultation with stakeholders, has significantly improved the proposal," claimed SSE's Director of Onshore Renewables, David Gardner. "This has also been reflected in some of the feedback we received from the community at the recent round of exhibitions, particularly from a visual perspective, and we are grateful to them for taking the time to engage and provide us with their comments. If consented, SSE is determined to ensure that it delivers significant benefits locally, both through the job opportunities that will be generated, as well as through our apprenticeship scheme and industry-leading community investment programme."

If consented, the windfarm will take around 18 months to build and access to the site will be facilitated through SSE's existing Achany windfarm, nearby.

SEE's application comes just weeks after the company bolstered its push into the Irish energy market with an agreement to buy Endesa Ireland Limited (Dublin, Ireland). The €320 million ($406 million) deal gives SSE control of four operational power plants and options to build others, including the 620-megawatt (MW) fuel oil Tarbert Power Station in County Kerry, the 240 MW fuel oil Great Island Power Station in County Wexford, the 104 MW peaking gasoil Tawnaghmore Power Station in County Mayo and the 104 MW peaking gasoil Rhode Power Station in County Offaly. It also gets the 460 MW combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant currently under construction at Great Island in Wexford, which is expected to be commissioned in 2014. For additional information, see related July 2, 2012, article - SSE Buys into Irish Power Market.

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