Rhiannon wind farm off Anglesey scrapped

Celtic Array Rhiannon wind farm off Anglesey scrapped

The massive wind farm planned for the Irish Sea has been scrapped.

Report on BBC news
Later report on BBC Wales

The Rhiannon wind farm, 12 miles (19km) north east of Anglesey, would have covered an area the size of the island.

Celtic Array, a partnership of Centrica and Danish firm Dong Energy, said the Irish Sea was "economically unviable" with current technology due to "challenging ground conditions".

Up to 440 turbines would have produced enough power to meet the needs of around 1.7m homes.

"We're disappointed not to be progressing with our work to develop wind farms in the Irish Sea Zone," said a spokesperson for the project.

"However our assessments have shown that ground conditions are such that it's not viable for us to proceed with the technology that's available at this stage."

Jobs hope

First announced in 2010, the project had been submitted to the UK government in 2012, followed by a series of public meetings in north Wales and on the Isle of Man.

Anglesey council leader Ieuan Williams said the announcement was "hugely disappointing".

"We'd hoped that the Rhiannon Wind Farm operational base could have been located in the port of Holyhead, given its potential for assembly, operations and maintenance of offshore wind farms," he said.

"This could have brought jobs and economic benefits to the island."

Nick Medic, spokesman on offshore developments for the industry body RenewableUK, said while the announcement was disappointing, the reasons behind it were "understandable".

Earlier in July, National Grid confirmed that the timetable had slipped for its plans to connect the Rhiannon wind farm to the electricity network with a 1km overhead line near Rhosgoch on the island.

Approval of Reactor for Wylfa Newydd

Announcement of the provisional approval of the new reactor type for Wylfa Newydd.
Public consultation is still open until October, 2014.

Post from the Office for Nuclear Development

Please see below numerous updates from the Office for Nuclear Development, DECC:

1.      Today the UK Government has published a renewed process for siting a Geological Disposal Facility.

Implementing Geological Disposal outlines an approach based on working with interested communities, beginning with two years of actions overseen by Government and intended to address issues that the public and stakeholders have told us are important to them.

The UK Government remains committed to geological disposal as the right policy for the long-term, safe and secure management of higher activity radioactive waste.

Along with this we have also published the Implementing Geological Disposal: Annual Report for April 2013 – March 2014: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/implementing-geological-disposal-annual-report-april-2013-march-2014

2.      The Office for Nuclear Development has today published a consultation seeking views on the Secretary of State’s proposed decision to Justify the UK Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (UK ABWR) designed by Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.  The consultation has two volumes,  Volume 1 summarises the purpose of the consultation and provides guidance on how to respond. Volume 2 sets out the background to Regulatory Justification and the evidence the Secretary of State has taken into account in coming to his proposed decision.

The consultation can be found on the DECC website at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-the-secretary-of-states-proposed-decision-as-justifying-authority-on-the-regulatory-justification-of-the-uk-advanced-boiling-water-re

3.      Today the Scottish Government, on behalf of DECC and the Devolved Administrations for Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, is publishing the first UK strategy for Low Level Radioactive Waste from Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials. The strategy can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/strategy-for-the-management-of-naturally-occurring-radioactive-material-norm-waste-in-the-united-kingdom

Kind regards,

The Office for Nuclear Development

Sunset overSunset over Wylfa WylfaSunset

Sunset over Wylfa

Seageneration Approved

From the web site of Seageneration.

Project Progress

The Anglesey Skerries Tidal Array is now fully consented. The Welsh Government issued the Marine Licence for the offshore elements of the project in 2013. In late 2013 the Isle of Anglesey County Council awarded planning permission for the onshore elements of the project consisting of a small substation at Cemaes, and associated cabling. A variation to the Marine Licence was approved by Natural Resources Wales in early 2014 to change the route of the export cable to come ashore at Cemaes Bay. Installation of the Anglesey Skerries Tidal Array is now planned for summer 2016.

BBC News report of the approval.
Picture from the BBC news report

Steam leak Closes Recently Reopened Power Station

Steam leak closes down recently repaired power station. BBC report.

Summer Flowers

Summer plants take over from spring.

Wylfa Back on Line For Final Few Months of Generation

BBC also report Wylfa comes back on line with only a few more months of generation ahead of it.

Delay in Nation Grid Options to Link New Power Sources

BBC reports the delay of new power lines to link with proposed new power generation sources on Anglesey.