Mainstream applies Neart pressure

Mainstream Renewable Power has called on the Scottish government to “urgently” address last week’s judicial review that quashed consent for its 450MW Neart na Gaoithe wind farm in the outer Forth estuary.

The Irish developer’s chief operating officer Andy Kinsella said the “global energy industry is watching how Scotland’s government acts over the coming days” after Edinburgh’s Court of Session overturned consent for the 64-turbine project.

The remarks are contained in a letter published in today’s Scotsman newspaper which was also signed by Siemens’ structured finance chief Wolfgang Bischoff.

Mainstream calls on Scottish ministers to urgently “set out how they will address the result of the judicial review positively” to ensure the £2bn project and the wider Scottish offshore wind industry is supported.

The letter also asks Holyrood “to work with us and our partners to ensure that this nationally significant project is properly consented and brought into operation in the very near term”.

“Our companies, Mainstream, Marubeni Europower, Siemens and InterGen, share a common interest in the successful development of the Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind power station,” added the letter.

Neart na Gaoithe, SDIC Power’s 784MW Inch Cape and SSE and Fluor’s 1050MW Seagreen projects were deemed to have defective planning consents by the court following an action taken by RSPB.

Mainstream said the three projects represent a potential capital investment in Scotland of £8bn, of which Neart represents more than £2bn.

Neart would create hundreds of jobs during construction and operation and will “generate significant local economic impact across the country, in particular on the east coast from Dundee to Eyemouth”, Mainstream said.

“We have invested in Scotland as we believe it should be an ideal location to deliver large-scale offshore renewables given its skilled employees, expertise in the power industry, and its natural high wind speeds.”

The Irish developer has been in arbitration with the Low Carbon Contracts Company since earlier this year after the counterparty terminated the Neart’s £114.39 CfD. 

Image: reNEWS