Triton Knoll OFFSHORE WIND FARM Update 2011 Autumn/Winter

RWE npower renewables’ North Hoyle Offshore Wind Farm. This photo is not intended to represent the appearance, size or scale of the proposed Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm. RWE npower renewables has concluded its formal consultation for Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm and is preparing to submit an application for development consent. Background

RWE npower renewables, one of the Wind Farm was being split into two This summer, we consulted local UK’s most experienced wind farm separate packages following the decision communities, local authorities, developers, is proposing to build an by National Grid to review the wind regulatory bodies and other organisations offshore wind farm approximately 20.5 farm’s onshore connection location. on our plans for the offshore elements miles (33 kilometres) off the coast of The connection location is the point at of the wind farm (Package 1). Lincolnshire and 28.5 miles (46 kilometres) which the offshore wind farm is connected off the coast of north Norfolk. to the national electricity network. Following this consultation we have The wind farm will require a new been analysing the responses received If the offshore wind farm is granted electricity substation to be constructed and carrying out additional work as consent to go ahead, it could produce up in the vicinity of the connection location. required. We are now finalising our to 1,200 megawatts (MW) of renewable plans and putting together our electricity. This could provide enough The two packages are: application for development consent renewable electricity to meet the > Package 1 – the offshore wind farm for Package 1. average consumption of approximately site itself and all elements within its 850,000 homes each year1. offshore site boundary > Package 2 – the electrical system required Earlier this year, we announced that to connect the offshore wind farm to the the development of Triton Knoll Offshore National Grid. 2 AUTUMN/WINTER 2011 | www.npower-renewables.com/tritonknoll

Consultation update

Our formal consultation for the Triton Knoll A non-technical summary of the Offshore Wind Farm was held from 1 June consultation report will be produced Key statistics to 12 July 2011. The consultation was and distributed to local communities carried out in line with our Statement once the application has been submitted Attendance: of Community Consultation (SoCC). and accepted for examination. 431 people attended the five The SoCC explained how we would public exhibitions consult with local communities and is At the same time as consulting with Consultation duration: available on our website. local communities, we also consulted The consultation ran for 42 days on the project with local planning

During the consultation, we held five authorities and statutory bodies, Feedback received from members public exhibitions at different locations organisations such as Natural England of the public: along the north Norfolk, Lincolnshire and and the Marine Management Organisation. 177 responses to the consultation were East Riding of Yorkshire coasts. These Feedback from this consultation is also received from members of the public: exhibitions outlined our initial plans for the being fed into the application and will be > 163 responses comprised completed offshore elements of the project (Package 1). documented in the consultation report. feedback forms > 23 responses were provided as letters We asked members of the public and or emails. local communities for their feedback. Other feedback received: The findings of the public consultation Approximately 82% of people who completed a feedback form at our public Feedback was also received from are being recorded in a consultation exhibitions said they were in support elected members, including councillors, report which will be submitted alongside of Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm. MPs and MEPs; local authorities; our application for consent to build the parish councils; and statutory and wind farm. More statistics from the consultation non-statutory consultees will be presented in the consultation The report will explain how the feedback report which will be available on our we received has been considered in website once the application for finalising our plans for the offshore development consent has been Website elements of the wind farm. successfully submitted. www.npower-renewables.com/tritonknoll

RWE npower renewables’ staff talking to members of the public. AUTUMN/WINTER 2011 | www.npower-renewables.com/tritonknoll 3

Next steps

We are now preparing to submit the examine the project in detail. Following application for development consent to this examination, the IPC will make a economIC BENEFITS build all the elements within Package 1. recommendation to the Secretary of This will consist of: State for Energy and Climate Change During construction and operation, > construction of up to 333 offshore who will make a final decision on the offshore wind farms create jobs and wind turbines application. If permission is granted support economic activity. > construction of up to five offshore for the project, it will be awarded in monitoring stations. The stations the form of a Development Consent Previously, we have found that local collect information such as wind Order (DCO). businesses are often well placed to secure some of the contracts. speeds and wind direction > construction of up to eight How can I be involved from now on? So far, during assessments for Triton offshore electricity substations and We will update local communities once the Knoll Offshore Wind Farm, we have cables buried in the sea bed to link application has been accepted by the IPC. already placed contracts with vessel the wind turbines and the offshore Following acceptance, the application will operators around the wind farm site substations. be available to view on the RWE npower that exceed £3 million. renewables project website and on the The feedback we have received on the IPC’s website at http://infrastructure. project has helped us shape the design independent.gov.uk. and development of the wind farm. At this time, members of the public will We anticipate that the application for be able to register with the IPC and give The IPC will take all relevant feedback development consent will be submitted their views about the project to the IPC. into account when examining the to the Infrastructure Planning Commission More information on the process can application and in making its (IPC) in the coming months. The IPC will be found on the IPC’s website. recommendation on the application.

Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm project area

The electrical system

Background Mablethorpe In 2009, National Grid offered us a grid connection agreement to connect Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm to the electricity network in East Lindsey, Lincolnshire. RWE npower renewables Chapel St Leonards then consulted local communities, non- statutory groups and statutory bodies Ingoldmells to help identify the most suitable location for the wind farm substation Skegness within this area.

However, in December 2010, we were informed by National Grid that they would be undertaking a strategic review of grid connections across the east coast, which included the connection location for Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm. Given that this could result in a change Boston to our connection location, all work on the electrical system was put on Bicker Fen National hold until the strategic review had Grid substation been completed. Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm’s proposed onshore connection location. © British Crown and SeaZone We have worked closely with National Solutions Limited. All rights reserved. Data Licence 052003.002 Grid over the course of this year on the strategic review. The review has concluded potential sites and routes for the footnotes that the most appropriate location for electrical infrastructure. This will include 1 Equivalent homes supplied is based on an annual electricity Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm to connect consultation with statutory bodies such consumption per home of 4700 kWh. This figure is supported to the existing grid network is at Bicker as the Environment Agency, relevant by recent domestic electricity consumption data available from The Digest of UK Energy Statistics and household Fen. This is illustrated in the map. local authority departments and Natural estimates and projections from the UK Statistics Authority. England. Our assessments will consider Energy predicted to be generated by the proposal is derived using wind speeds monitored in the local area Next steps environmental factors such as flood risk, and correlating to a modelled reference node. This enables We will be undertaking technical studies noise and landscape as well as other a calculation to be made to estimate the average annual energy production for the site based on 195 turbines each to evaluate options for the electrical factors such as land ownership and of rated capacity 6.15 MW. The energy capture predicted system to carry the power from the existing land use. It is anticipated that and hence derived homes equivalent or emissions savings figures may change as further data are gathered. offshore wind farm to the proposed the findings of these studies will be connection location. Although we have available by early summer. not yet finalised what the electrical system will comprise, it is likely to include Once we have evaluated the different If you would like this an electrical substation in the vicinity of options, we will carry out consultation with newsletter in larger the connection location and a means of public bodies and local communities. We transferring the power from the wind will then use the results of this consultation print, or an alternative farm to the onshore substation. to inform our final planning application for the electrical system (Package 2). This format, please contact We will also commence environmental application will be separate to that of the us on: 01793 474173 and engineering studies to find the best offshore wind farm (Package 1).

Contact Us: Post: Email: Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm [email protected] RWE Npower Renewables Ltd Auckland House Telephone: 01793 474173 Lydiard Fields Great Western Way Web: Swindon www.npower-renewables.com/tritonknoll SN5 8ZT