Rajgród Fw6 Wind Farm Poland
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1 Non-Technical Executive Summary RAJGRÓD FW6 WIND FARM POLAND March 2013 2 Introduction and general project presentation Grupa PEP – Farma Wiatrowa 6 Sp. z o.o. (developer) is developing a wind farm in the commune of Rajgród (gmina), Grajewo county (powiat), Podlaskie voivodeship (województwo), north-eastern Poland. The subject wind farm configuration includes: 11 wind turbine generators (WTGs), type Siemens SWT-2.3-108, main electrical substation (MES Rajgród); underground infrastructure of power transmission and control cables; access roads to individual WTGs and assembly and service yards; power transmission line from MES Rajgród to the switching station 110 kV/15 kV Grajewo 1. Total installed capacity of the wind farm will be 25.3 MW. The WTGs are to be located in one group, between the villages of Bukowo and Kołaki in the west, Karwowo and Skrodzkie in the north, Kosiły and Łazarze in the east and Turczyn and Danowo in the south. The project is classified, both from the point of view of European Union and Polish legislation (Executive Order from November 9, 2010 on investments potentially significantly impacting the environment), as the one which may be required to undergo Environmental Impact Assessment process as an investment which could have a potentially significant impact on the environment. The local authorities taking into account the environmental regulations decided that development of an environmental impact assessment report is obligatory for the investment. This non-technical summary presents information enclosed in the environmental impact assessment reports (EIA) prepared for the project execution and other environmental documentations prepared for the needs of the planned wind farm. Based on the environmental impact assessment reports and analysis of available information, the project is not likely to generate significant adverse social impacts or need for involuntary resettlement or economic displacement. No regulatory non-compliance issues were identified in this audit. WTGs description According to the environmental impact assessment reports prepared for the development, development of 15 wind turbine generators VESTAS V90-3.0 MW was initially analyzed. In the final planned scenario the number of WTGs was reduced to 13, the locations were also modified. The changes were determined by the need of minimization of the impact on the environment, and resulted from environmental impact assessment analyses and the pre- investment birds monitoring. Eventually, the number of WTGs has been reduced to 11 due 3 to the conditions of connections to power grid. The developer also decided to change the initially considered WTG model and to install Siemens SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines of a total power capacity of 25.3 MW. It is planned to construct 115 m high hubs with rotors of 108 m in diameter. A typical wind turbine generator consists of a tower and a gondola comprising a rotor and measurement apparatus. The rotor is composed of the blades, attached to each other by a bearing. The blades are moved by the wind and transmit this force to the bearing, which is connected to a multiplier that increases the axle speed. The mechanical energy is transferred from the multiplier to an electricity generator, which transforms it into electricity for subsequent injection into the grid. Access to the WTGs will be provided by a network of access roads. Total length of newly constructed roads will amount approximately 3.5 km. Total area developed as part of the project including areas of the newly constructed roads, technical yards and foundations in the vicinity of WTGs and the main electrical substation will amount to approximately 4.7 ha. The individual WTGs will generate electricity of a 0.69 kV voltage, which after transformation in the individual, on-site, container substations will be transferred to the MES via an underground connection of approximately 3.5 km length and will not pass any sensitive environmental areas, according to the environmental impact assessment report. The construction works have not started yet, however, the project already passed the EIA procedure and was granted environmental decision. As reported by the developer, the Building Permit for the wind farm project has been granted as of March 18, but is currently being amended due to the decision to develop 11 WTGs instead of initially-planned 13 WTGs. Project Location The Rajgród wind farm is to be developed in the commune of Rajgród (in the villages of Turczyn, Bukowo, Kołaki, Łazarze, Kosiły, Karwowo, Skrodzkie i Wólka Piotrowska), Grajewo county, Podlaskie voivodeship. According to the available sources, the Rajgród commune occupies an area of approximately 207 km2, of which 58% is occupied by agricultural land and 29% by forests. As of 2004, the population of the commune counted approximately 5 615. The wind farm is to comprise one site located ca. 8-10 km south-west from the Rajgród town. The site, of an approximate area of 10 km2 which will house 11 WTGs of a maximum capacity of 2.3 MW each, can be described as an irregular path of land stretching out between the villages of Bukowo in the west and Kosiły in the east. The westernmost WTG is located in a distance of approximately 6 km to the south-west of Rajgród. Based on the site visit observations and review of aerial photos available e.g. at http://geoserwis.gdos.gov.pl/mapy/, the wind farm development area has a rural character. The terrain in this area is flat, with numerous small hilly postglacial forms and closed depressions. The terrain elevation varies between 120 m asl in its eastern corner to 137 m asl in the western part. The majority of the area of the planned wind farm location is 4 occupied by arable fields. Local woodlots and bushes with single trees and occasional bushes make the prevailing vegetation in the area. There is a network of local dirt roads along the routes of the planned cable power lines. There is a national road no. 61 (Warszawa-Augustów) which runs in a distance of ca. 2-3 km south and south-east from of the wind farm development. Based on visual observations, the local road network provides easy access to the construction sites with no evident obstacles that could affect transport of an oversize cargo during the construction phase. In particular no trees or historical monuments were identified as such possible obstacles. The planned wind farm development site is not located within the borders of protected areas. There are, however, environmentally sensitive areas and protected areas located in the site’s surroundings. The nearest protected areas identified by the EIA reports are: Biebrzański Park Narodowy (Biebrza National Park), approximately 8 km south-east from the nearest planned wind farm development, Nature reserves: “Czapliniec-Bełda” (approximately 2,5 km east from the planned wind farm development), “Ostoja Bobrów Bartosze” (approximately 20 km north-west from the planned wind farm development), Zdedy” (approximately 26 km west from the planned wind farm development), “Jezioro Kolno” (approximately 26,2 km north- east from the planned wind farm development), “Ławski Las I” (approximately 27,6 km south-west from the planned wind farm development), “Ławski Las II” (approximately 28,8 km south-west from the planned wind farm development); Landscape Protected Areas: “OCHK Pojezierza Rajgrodzkie” (approximately 1 km north-east and east from the planned wind farm development), “OCHK Jezior Rajgrodzkich” (approximately 3,5 km north from the planned wind farm development), “OCHK Pojezierza Ełckiego” (approximately 4 km west from the planned wind farm development), “OCHK Jeziora Rajgrodzkie” (approximately 6 km east from the planned wind farm development), “OCHK Dolina Biebrzy”(approximately 12,9 km east from the planned wind farm development), “OCHK Wzgórz Dybowskich” (approximately 13,3 km east from the planned wind farm development), “OCHK Doliny Legi” (approximately 17,2 km north-west from the planned wind farm development), “OCHK Jezior Orzyskich” (approximately 20 km west from the planned wind farm development), “OCHK Puszcza i Jeziora Augustowskie” (approximately 22 km north-east from the planned wind farm development), “OCHK Puszczy i Jezior Piskich” (approximately 25,4 km west from the planned wind farm development) and “OCHK Dolina Rospudy” (approximately 27 km north-east from the planned wind farm development). Natura 2000 Special Protection Areas: PLB200006 “Ostoja Biebrzańska” (approximately 2 km south-east from the planned wind farm development), Area PLB200002 “Puszcza Augustowska” (approximately 23,4 km north-east from the planned wind farm development) and PLB280014 “Ostoja Poligon Orzysz” (approximately 25 km west from the planned wind farm development). Natura 2000 Sites of Community Importance: PLH200008 “Dolina Biebrzy” (approximately 7,9 km south-east from the planned wind farm development), 5 PLH200005 “Puszcza Augustowska” (approximately 25 km north-east from the planned wind farm development), PLH280034 “Jezioro Woszczelskie” (approximately 25 km north-east from the planned wind farm development) and PLH280041 “Murawy na Pojezierzu Ełckim” (approximately 26,2 km north-east from the planned wind farm development). Ecological sites: – the nearest one is “Ślepe Jezioro Okoniówek” in a distance of approximately 3,5 km north-east from the planned wind farm development. Natural monuments – the nearest ones are located in the Biebrza National Park, approximately 8 km away from the wind farm development. As established during the meeting with Rajgród authorities representative, there are no existing wind farms or single WTGs at the territory of the commune and no such development, except for the subject one, is planned. For the purposes of the environmental assessment all communes bordering with Rajgród were contacted, i.e.: Bargłów Kościelny, Goniądz, Grajewo, Kalinowo and Prostki. All commune offices were contacted via telephone and the representatives of local authorities, responsible for environment protection and development investment were interviewed. The interviews were focused on obtaining general information regarding any wind farm investments (existing or being developed) within the borders of the subject commune.