Energy / Campaign groups join public members in objecting to Mossy Hill substation
Lerwick Community Council has also formally objected to the plans
NUMEROUS public objections have been lodged against plans to build a 132kV substation for a prospective eight-turbine wind farm just outside Lerwick.
Campaign groups Sustainable Shetland and Save Shetland – both who oppose new wind farm developments in the isles – are among those to object to the Statkraft application.
Nine other members of the public have also joined Lerwick Community Council in formally writing to the council to object.
Applicant Statkraft lodged the plans for the outskirts of Lerwick in December, with the infrastructure set to provide space for transformer equipment for Statkraft and electrical switchgear for SSEN Transmission.
Statkraft hopes to link the substation into SSE’s new underground power line between Kergord and Gremista.
The Norwegian energy company is aiming to connect the substation to the proposed Mossy Hill wind farm.
Although the wind farm received planning permission for 12 turbines in 2019, since acquiring the development a couple of years ago Statkraft has revised that number down to eight – although they would be greater in height.
Statkraft is expected to lodge an application for the eight turbine development this month.
Sustainable Shetland’s chairman Frank Hay said the company “can’t have one without the other” – and should have submitted a joint application for the altered wind farm
“If the substation application is approved then there must be an assumption that the revised wind farm application will also be approved,” he said, in his letter to the council.
“This is an all too familiar approach to wind farm applications where there are significant add-ons to original applications.
“With permission being granted for the major part of the development, it leads to almost automatic approval for the add-ons.”
Hay said he believed the effect of the project on peatland would be “very damaging”, and mitigation efforts were “very likely to be ineffective”.
And he added that the energy grid was “inadequate to fully accommodate the power from Shetland”.
Lerwick Community Council objected in January, citing a “lack of information” about how existing power lines would be connected to the proposed substation.
“Members would like clarification on the underground connection routes and where, to and from these will be connected to the existing infrastructure,” it added.
Statkraft had been due to hold a second series of public consultations about the wind farm at the end of January, but these are now likely to take place in March instead.
Meanwhile Statkraft has asked for the public’s views on what they would like to see in and around the Mossy Hill site.
The company said it wanted it to be “interesting and useful” for local communities.
A “wide range of possible options” are being considered, ranging from walking and cycling tracks around the site to outdoor visitor areas.
An indoor exhibition area – which Statkraft has discussed previously – is also being considered.
People can respond to the survey here.
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