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Concerns over Solway windfarm
Credit: by Stuart Gillespie, Galloway News, www.dgstandard.co.uk 5 April 2012 ~~
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Fears have surfaced that a picture postcard tourist beach could be the landing place for power cables from an offshore windfarm.
According to a pressure group, Brighouse Bay may be back on the agenda.
Keith Mycock, of Turbine Watch 312, said Danish company DONG Energy plan to connect power to the national grid at Tongland if their plans for a 40-turbine scheme at Luce Bay get the go-ahead.
He said: “DONG have stated that the power generated will be connected to the grid at Tongland, or Newton Stewart.
“It is worth noting that they proposed to bring the power lines for the refused Wigtown Bay windfarm into Kirkcudbright via Brighouse Bay then overland, crossing the Dee near Tongland Bridge.
“It is clear if either of these links to the grid are used, the existing power lines through the Stewartry will require upgrading.”
Concerns about the plans were raised at a recent Kirkcudbright Community Council meeting.
DONG has recently been given the go-ahead by the Crown Estates to look into developing a 300-megawatt scheme south of Luce Bay, which would involve around 40 turbines 190 metres tall.
They say that eight kilometres is the closest any turbines will be to the shore.
Derek Collins attended a consultation meeting on behalf of the community council and told councillors that although DONG is only aiming to develop an area of around 60 square kilometres at this stage, they have an exclusive agreement for a 500 square kilometre area of the Solway.
He warned this could lead to turbines just south of Ross Island.
There were also worries about the location of the spot where the cable connecting the windfarm to the national grid could come ashore.
Mr Collins said one possibility was Kirkcudbright Bay, with the connection at Tongland Power Station.
The community council agreed to complete a feedback questionnaire but also write to the Crown Estates to raise their concerns.
Mr Mycock said that, if Tongland is used, it could mean not only an increase in the size and number of pylons in the area, but more onshore windfarm applications for sites close to these upgraded power lines.
“We find the DONG proposal for 40 190m turbines only five miles off-shore very concerning, not only because of its very visible presence in the Solway, but also the effect it will have on-shore,” he said.
DONG’s plans to build 90 turbines in Wigtown Bay were thrown out last year.
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