We have operated Rigged Hill Windfarm for over 20 years, with the site’s 10 turbines generating up to 5 megawatts of renewable power. The site, in its current form, has consent to operate in perpetuity.
Whilst the turbines currently perform well, newer more modern technology is available which is more reliable and capable of producing more energy. We are looking to repower the windfarm, resulting in the reuse of the site with fewer, larger, more efficient, modern turbines of greater capacity. In doing so, the benefits are maximised without the need to develop a new greenfield site.
Location
Approximately 6.2 km south-east of Limavady in Co. Derry / Londonderry.
Number of Turbines
The proposal for the site is for the development of 7 turbines. The original application also included for an opportunity to co-locate energy storage as part of the proposal, however, this has since been removed.
Potential Capacity
While subject to the final size of turbines selected, the generating capacity of the repowered Rigged Hill Windfarm will be in the region of 30 MW.
Current Stage
A planning application for the site was submitted in July 2019 to Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.This was approved at Committee on 28th September 2022, with the decision notice issued on 5th October 2022.
The application was approved with 36 planning conditions. These relate to matters including ecology, habitat management and construction or access arrangements.
Timescales for the implementation of the proposal will be determined by the timescale for the construction of a grid connection, and Scottish Power Renewables will work with Northern Ireland Electrical Networks on the delivery of the infrastructure required.
The determination of the planning application saw extensive analysis of the environmental impact of the development through an Environmental Statement (ES). This, and other supporting information, can be viewed by clicking the link for the Planning NI website below, using the view planning application search function.
Following consultation with the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council during the application process, Scottish Power Renewables Ltd omitted the previously included ‘energy storage units’ from the planning application. This did not alter the technical assessments presented in the ES.
Community Consultation
The application process also saw extensive community engagement, including three rounds of Public Information Days (PIDs) held in Garvagh and Limavaddy in 2017 and 2019. Additionally, SPR completed a leaflet drop in the local area and advertised in local newspapers.
Benefits
As the UK’s leading onshore wind developer, owner and operator, at SPR we are keen to integrate ourselves into the communities in which we operate our windfarms.
SPR has a long-standing foundation in Northern Ireland, and currently operate five onshore windfarms in Northern Ireland, with key interests in Belfast Harbour and with Harland and Wolff which were used to assist in the build out of some of our offshore wind portfolio.
The development of our West of Duddon Sands Offshore Windfarm (operational since 2014) enabled the construction of the £50 million facility at Belfast Harbour which began in early 2012, creating the first purpose built offshore wind installation and pre-assembly harbour in the UK and Ireland, supporting up to 300 jobs in the process.
SPR is also progressing East Anglia ONE Offshore Windfarm towards construction. Lamprell, in partnership with Harland and Wolff, have been awarded a significant foundation fabrication contract. The value of this contract is circa £30 million with an average labour force of 200 people across the duration of the project with a peak of around 350 jobs.
Our community benefit funds support a wide range of worthwhile local initiatives, and SPR remains committed to working closely with the communities in which we operate, including continuing to maximise opportunities for local businesses.
We are proud to have voluntarily contributed to local communities to date in Northern Ireland, which include donations made to and managed by, the Fermanagh Trust, and funding for local primary schools. These funds have been used to support a wide range of projects in local communities in Northern Ireland.
We are keen to discuss a community benefit package with the local community, tailored to meet the needs of the surrounding community, and which has the capability to support the areas long term development ambitions.
Outlined below are key benefits of the Project.
Creation of up to 16 jobs years in Causeway Coast and Glens, 73 job years in Northern Ireland during construction and decomissioning. Installed capacity of 25-30MW & low carbon generation of around 118.3GWh per year. 34,750 tonnes of CO2 avoided annually compared with a fossil fuel-mix of electricity generation . Generating enough power for over 19,000 homes . Around 3 new jobs in the Causeway Coast & Glens area during operation, and 4 new jobs created elsewhere in Northern Ireland . In addition to landowner rents the development would be liable for non domestic rates, this would be around £13.1 million over a 30 year period . Package of community benefits to local communities. Opportunties for local suppliers of goods and services .
Design Considerations
The windfarm design has been reached through feedback from consultees and communities, where turbine positions and associated infrastructure have evolved through the design process to achieve a final layout sympathetic to environmental constraints and surrounding landscape.
The turbines at a proposed 137 metres to tip, allow 3 fewer turbines to be used yet will be capable of producing around 7-8 times the output of the existing 10-turbine Rigged Hill Windfarm.
Contact
The Project Team can be contacted directly by email
References
Documents
Please click on the links below to view the Rigged Hill Windfarm Repower key project documents.
Project Summary Leaflet
Rigged Hill Windfarm Repowering - A proposal to Repower the existing Rigged Hill Windfarm
Volume 1 – Environmental Statement
Volume 3 – Technical Appendices
Further Environmental Information