Planning Inspectorate accepts RWE's 1.2-GW Atlantic Array scheme

Jul 12, 2013 - The Planning Inspectorate of Great Britain said Friday it had accepted for examination RWE npower renewables’s application for the 1.2-GW Atlantic Array offshore wind farm in the Bristol Channel.

The announcement came just a day after the British government approved another 1.2-GW wind farm proposal -- the Triton Knoll -- by the same subsidiary of German energy group RWE AG (ETR:RWE).

The examination of the project application will take no more than six months. Once it is completed, the Planning Inspectorate has three more months to make a recommendation to the relevant Secretary of State who will then have three more months to reach a decision on the project.

The Atlantic Array proposal is for as many as 240 turbines, up to four offshore substations and other relevant facilities in English and Welsh waters. RWE submitted the application on June 14 with the North Devon Council and Torridge District Council.
In March RWE npower reduced from 278 the number of turbines at the proposed wind farm, cutting its maximum capacity from 1,500 MW to 1,200 MW, which the firm estimates is enough to power up to 900,000 households. Following public consultation and environmental and engineering studies, RWE npower also reduced the area of the wind farm to 200 sq km (77 sq miles) from 238 sq km.

Now that its application has been accepted for examination, RWE npower will have to invite people who are interested in the proposal to register with the Planning Inspectorate as an interested party by making a relevant representation.

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