The second meeting of the community working group established to assist Forewind with the siting of the electricity infrastructure for the proposed Dogger Bank Creyke Beck development will be held in Cottingham this week.
Representatives from parish councils, East Riding of Yorkshire Council and community groups have agreed to work with Forewind to help identify the precise location of the direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) converter stations and onshore AC cable route and to assist with communications between the developer and local stakeholders including businesses and nearby residents.
Forewind Stakeholder Manager, Nikki Smith said this week’s second meeting, being held in Cottingham, will build on the outcomes of the first meeting that was held in March.
“We will further progress the micro-siting of the converter stations, look at environmental impact assessment and mitigation measures, update on the cable route selection process and also have a briefing from the National Grid on possible works to the existing substation,” Miss Smith said.
“We aim to cover the main issues of concern to stakeholders living or working nearby, ensure the project is sensitive to local circumstances and to identify any challenges that may arise around site selection, design, construction and operation from an early planning stage.”
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 two DC to AC converter stations as well as an underground cable connection between the converter stations and the existing Creyke Beck substation.
The converter stations, including buildings to house sensitive electrical equipment, could require at least nine hectares (approximately 22 acres) of land for permanent use.
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Offshore WIND staff, May 1, 2012; Image Forewind