Representatives from parish councils, East Riding of Yorkshire Council and community groups will be invited to take part in a working group aimed at assisting Forewind, developer of the proposed Dogger Bank Creyke Beck offshore wind farm projects, with the siting of its electricity infrastructure near Cottingham.
The working group, comprising local community representatives, will work with Forewind to help identify the precise location of the direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) converter station/s and onshore AC cable route and to assist with the communication of issues between the developers and local stakeholders including businesses and nearby residents.
Dogger Bank Creyke Beck will be the first stage in the development of the Dogger Bank offshore wind zone, located 125 kilometres (approximately 80 miles) off the Yorkshire coast. It will be up to 2.4GW of generating capacity, which will connect into the existing Creyke Beck substation near Cottingham in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
It will comprise up to two offshore wind farms and onshore infrastructure which will include underground cables to transmit power from the coast to one or more DC to AC converter stations as well as a connection between the converter station/s and the existing Creyke Beck substation.
The converter station or stations, including buildings to house industrial equipment, could require at least nine hectares (approximately 22 acres) of land for permanent use. The formation of this working group means stakeholders living or working nearby have the opportunity to be directly involved in its siting from an early planning stage.
Forewind Stakeholder Manager, Nikki Smith said the aim of the working group is to ensure the project is sensitive to local circumstances and to identify any challenges that may arise around site selection, design, construction and operation.
“ The concept for the working group developed following suggestions received during our first round of public consultation events and so was not included in the original Statement of Communication Consultation published in local media in December, ” Miss Smith said. “ We plan to have quarterly meetings, starting on 8 March, when a chair will be elected and key immediate issues will be discussed .”
[mappress] Offshore WIND Staff, February 29, 2012; Image: Forewind