Scottish Power wind farm gets OK

Glasgow's Scottish Power said yesterday it received final planning consent from the Scottish government for the Harestanes wind farm in Dumfries and Galloway.

The company said the $406.2 million farm, with 71 turbines producing up to 213 megawatts of power, would supply enough electricity for 120,000 homes.

"We are delighted to have received planning consent. Construction is scheduled to start in spring 2008, with the first turbine scheduled to arrive in early 2010," said Keith Anderson, managing director at Scottish Power Renewables.

Scottish Power, the largest on shore wind generator in the U.K. with 17 operational wind farms, became a subsidiary of Spain's Iberdrola earlier this year (see Scottish Power and Iberdrola shareholders approve merger).

The government consent follows a public inquiry into the project after an objection was filed by the Dumfries and Galloway Council in June 2005.

Scottish Power said the inquiry concluded in October 2006, stating that "the landscape in the area has the capacity to accommodate the proposed wind farm," and that the project would make "a worthwhile contribution to reducing CO2 emissions."

The wind farm is expected to save 500,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year, according to Scottish Power.

"If we as a nation are to realize our renewables potential, and achieve our challenging renewable targets of 6 gigawatts by 2020, then the U.K. and Scottish governments must continue to provide real commitment in terms of infrastructure, investment and political leadership," said Anderson.

Harestanes is Scottish Power's third large wind farm approval, following Whitelee, a 322 MW farm in Eaglesham, and Black Law, a 97 MW project in South Lanarkshire.

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