February 14, 2007
U.K.

Plans for 60 wind turbines in The Wash

Marshland will become a “key area” in the delivery of green power if massive plans for three new wind farms in The Wash go ahead.

Centrica, a parent company of British Gas and owners of Lynn Power Station, have got the ball rolling by seeking Government permission for the first project, five miles off the Lincolnshire coast.

If development of the “Lincs” wind farm goes ahead, a 15-mile buried cable will connect it to Walpole St Andrew sub-station, where the power will be fed into the National Grid.

The offshore farm is set to cost a reported £400 million and would be capable of supplying electricity to around 140,000 homes.

Detailed design work is not yet complete, but Centrica spokesman Andrew Hanson told the Lynn News the site would include up to 60 wind turbines and construction could start in 2009.

The possibility of developing two further sites, with up to 166 turbines each, is also being investigated by Centrica.
“We intend to learn from current projects to assess whether it’s economically viable to continue with the projects,” Mr Hanson explained

“Whether or not we decide to build, Walpole is likely to play a key role in receiving power from off-shore wind farms in the future,” he added.

The connecting cable, capable of transferring 1,000 megawatts, would be laid on the sea bed and under the salt marsh.

A spokesman for the Wash Estuary Strategy Group said The Wash was a Site of Special Scientific Interest, but it did not want to comment until it had received the application and environmental statement.

Mr Hanson said: “We have done an extensive two-year environmental impact study which has covered a range of areas and there is good support for the project.

“As a nation, we all need to explore new and different sources of energy and wind power will play an important part in supplying some of the UK’s energy for years to come.”

lynnnews.co.uk

13 February 2007


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/02/14/plans-for-60-wind-turbines-in-the-wash/