Seagreen seeks permission to install larger new turbines – even though its Tay estuary offshore wind farm plan is under Supreme Court appeal

One of the four energy development companies which plans to build a major offshore Scottish wind farm  wants to fit even larger turbines in the outer River Tay estuary off Dundee – even though its current application is currently the subject of a final appeal in the Supreme Court.

Seagreen Wind Energy – a joint development by Perth-based utility SSE and the US Fluor Corp –  first obtained planning permission in 2014 for the Seagreen Alpha and Seagreen Bravo wind farms, of 525 MW each.

An appeal against the development by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds was initially upheld in the first-tier of the Court of Session, but that was overturned on appeal to the second-tier of the court by the Scot-Govt.

The RSPB has now taken its appeal to the Supreme Court in London.

Nevertheless, Glasgow-based Seagreen Wind Energy how now requested a Scoping Opinion from Marine Scotland on behalf of the Scot-Govt (should the RSPB lose its appeal) in a bid to take advantage of latest technology and instead install larger turbines of up to 15 MW.  

Seagreen wants to use fewer turbines of up to 15 MW, according to the scoping report, compared to turbines with maximum capacity of 7 MW in its initial application.

In its request for the new scoping Opinion, Seagreen said: “There are a number of questions regarding ornithology which have arisen from points raised in the <Court of Session> Judicial Review judgement, and the subsequent appeal decision.”

Download the 180-page Seagreen scoping request; – http://tinyurl.com/y7sbkmcr

See also:

Why judges gave the go-ahead to Scottish ‘Quartet’ offshore wind farm plans by Inch Cape, Seagreen and Mainstream

http://www.scottishenergynews.com/why-judges-gave-the-go-ahead-to-scottish-offshore-wind-farm-plans-by-mainstream-inch-cape-and-seagreen/

COMMENT:

While the request for a scoping Opinion has no formal impact, or direct bearing  upon the Supreme Court case, either Seagreen/ SSE and Scottish Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse, MSP, are just naturally optimistic about the outcome of the case…

Or they know something they’re not telling us.