RWE Cuts Atlantic Array Windfarm Again

GALWAY, IRELAND--March 29, 2013 --Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland) - One of the largest proposed offshore projects in the U.K. has been shrunk for the second time in less than a year.

German energy firm, RWE AG (OTC:RWEOY) (Essen, Germany), has announced that the Atlantic Array offshore windfarm planned for the Bristol Channel will now have 240 turbines instead of 278. This will reduce the windfarm's electricity generating capacity from 1,500-megawatts (MW) to around 1,200 MW. The changes will also result in a further reduction of the area of the windfarm from 238 square kilometres (km2) to 200km2. The windfarm, which is one of the U.K.'s government's proposed Round 3 series of windfarms, will be capable of supplying enough power for approximately 900,000 homes.

The company's U.K. subsidiary, RWE npower Renewables (Swindon, England), said that the changes will 'primarily focus on reducing visual and seascape effects and potential underwater disturbance from piling noise during the wind farm's construction'.

"The revisions to the proposed Atlantic Array windfarm are being made following the completion of additional studies and focus on the site boundary closest to Lundy and North Devon," explained Craig Harwood, Project Manager for Atlantic Array. "They build on the changes we made in 2012 to minimise environmental effects, which also significantly reduced the visual effects from the South Wales coast. Combined, these refinements deliver the most appropriate offshore wind farm scheme for the area from both a technical and environmental perspective. Atlantic Array remains a significant infrastructure project capable of making a large contribution to the UK's energy needs."

Last June, RWE npower announced it was reducing the number of turbines at the project by 139, down from the original total of 417. At that time the windfarm was also relocated further away from the Welsh coast to a distance of 22.5 kilometres (km), up from 16km. For additional information, see June 12, 2012, article - RWE Shrinks Atlantic Array Windfarm.

The company confirmed that it will submit its final consent application to the government's Planning Inspectorate in June.

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