January 11, 2013
Wales

Scottish Power presses ahead with £64m Mid Wales windfarm

Shropshire Star | January 11, 2013 | www.shropshirestar.com

Energy giants Scottish Power will press ahead with plans for a controversial £64 million windfarm in the shadow of a beauty spot.

The firm says it has reduced the scale of the project at Dyfnant Forest near Lake Vyrnwy which it has been working on since 2008 and says it will stage public information days next month to outline its fresh plans. But Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies today described the plans as ‘disastrous’ for the region.

Scottish Power said it has revised the project after talks with the public in 2011.

The firm says it is now looking for views on its new plans, which reduces the number of wind turbines from 35 to 32 and reduces their height from 185m (607ft) to 145m (476ft).

The revised plans also increase the distance between turbines and designated footpaths and bridleways, and from residential properties, and the firm says they also ensure that existing recreation trails can remain open during operation of the windfarm.

Helen Peake, project manager at Scottish Power Renewables, said: “Dyfnant Forest has the potential to accommodate a windfarm that could make a significant contribution to the carbon reduction targets of Wales and the UK.

“It is located in a Strategic Search Area that has been designated for windfarm developments, but it is important that any development is designed as sensitively as possible to the surrounding environment.

“We have carried out detailed studies over a number of years to determine the best design for a windfarm in this location and significant modifications have been made to our original proposals for the project.”

But Mr Davies said: “My view is that this windfarm proposal will be disastrous for the local landscape and the local tourist industry.

“Together with the pylons which will be built from Cefn Coch to north Shropshire to take the power from the windfarms, this will be a disaster for the region.”

The first public information day will be held at Banwy Community Centre on February 20 from 3pm to 7.30pm followed by other sessions at Dinas Mawddwy Village Hall on February 21, Llanfair Caereinion Public Institute on February 22 and Llanwddyn Community Centre on February 23.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/01/11/scottish-power-presses-ahead-with-64m-mid-wales-windfarm/