SIMON GREEN WEST COAT ENERGY.       As project manager for West Coast Energy I act as the planning manager for Falck who are the long term owners and operators of the Millennium Wind Farm.  I have been involved with the project since the original sixteen turbine scheme was permitted in 2006. This note is just an update on the progress on the construction side and also to keep the community appraised of the forthcoming application for a second small extension to the wind farm. 

Sixteen Turbine Scheme

The erection of the sub station, turbines and associated cabling was substantially completed by December 2007.  Predictably snow and freezing weather delayed progress in January, February and March. The commissioning of the various individual turbines is now well underway with six of the turbines turning and producing electricity.  Borrow Pit A has been partially reinstated.

Four Turbine Extension

This scheme was permitted by The Highland Council under delegated powers in January 2008.  The access roads and turbine bases have been successfully installed and one of the turbines has already been erected.  Commissioning will follow that of the original sixteen.  Stone for the roadways and concrete has been derived primarily from Borrow Pit B and also from small cuttings along the line of the new access roads.

Proposed Six Turbine Extension

This proposal will utilise the remaining grid connection offer (65 Megawatts (MW)).  This requires a Section 36 submission to the Scottish Government (any proposal in excess of 50 MW).  A scoping request has been submitted to the Scottish Government and The Highland Council.  Progress has been slowed by the requirement to carry out additional bird surveys for Black Throated Divers and Common Scoters since the adjacent hydro lochs have been designated a Special Protection Area (SPA) for these species.  Fortunately neither of these birds has yet been seen on the wind farm site.  The turbines fall on the south facing slope of Mam a Chroisg as indicated on the attached plan.  They are generally lower in elevation than the majority of the permitted turbines.  The layout of these turbines is such that they will not be visible from Dalchreichart or the main tourist centres within Fort Augustus.  The hope is that we will be able to submit our application in October of this year, subject to the satisfactory completion of the necessary surveys.  The proposal is to keep Borrow Pit B open until the determination of this planning submission by the Scottish Government.  We estimate that there is sufficient stone remaining within this borrow pit to complete the extension roads and bases.