July 25, 2019
Wales

Energy firm wants extended time to redevelop windfarm

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service Reporter | 25/07/2019 | www.mynewtown.co.uk

An energy firm has applied to extend the timescale it has to redevelop a wind turbine farm near Newtown.

The UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will be asking for Powys County Council’s opinion on whether an Environmental Impact Assessment will be needed for the Llandinam Windfarm.

The planned redevelopment would see the number of turbines reduced from 103 to 34 but capable of producing more electricity than the current ones.

This is before deciding if planning permission for “repowering Llandinam Windfarm” can be extended for another five years.

Llandinam Windfarm, formerly known as Penrhyddlan and Llidiartywaun, is one of the oldest in the Scottish Power renewable energy portfolio.

It is operated with Eurus Energy under the trading name of CeltPower Ltd.

It was built in 1992 with 103 turbines – the new development would scale the number of turbines down to 34 – but with the ability to produce more electricity.

CeltPowerLtd has commissioned Arcus Consultancy Services to present the section 36c variation to the original planning consent.

Clare Walters of Arcus, said: “The variation application seeks to allow for a five-year extension of time for implementation to September 7, 2025, to allow the applicant to rectify grid connection issues and implement the development.”

The issues are that the grid connection to take the electricity has not been built yet.

This is because other wind turbine applications have not been decided.

According to Arcus providing the connection just for the Llandinam project would be “cost prohibitive”.

Ms Walters added: “This grid project is essential to securing a connection for the original consent as it will create further grid/transmission capacity in Mid-Wales.

“SP Manweb have no other current plans to upgrade the grid network and have advised that a developer based solution is the only way forward.”

Ms Walters said that CeltPowerLtd were waiting to see whether the Llanbrynmair and Carnedd Wen windfarm schemes would be approved and whether this would mean a grid connection scheme come to fruition.

The original application for Llandinam windfarm was examined at a Public Inquiry between June 2013 and May 2014 and was granted consent in September 2015.

UK Government energy infrastructure planning case manager, Rob Pridham, said that the regulations require the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to consult with the planning authority, in this case, PCC to see whether an environmental impact assessment should be done.

“Before screening decisions are given, we should be grateful of your council’s (PCC) views,” said Mr Pridham.

PCC was given until 19 July to respond.

A decision on giving Celtic Power Ltd the extra time before having to start building their project should be known in a few weeks time.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2019/07/25/energy-firm-wants-extended-time-to-redevelop-windfarm/