A Scoping Report and a capacity update have been issued regarding the Spiorad na Mara offshore wind project in Scotland, owned by Northland Power and ESB.

Following a recent application to the National Grid Electricity System Operator regarding the grid connection for Spiorad na Mara, it is expected that the potential maximum installed capacity of the project will change from 840 MW to around 900 MW.

This would give the project the capacity to meet the average annual electricity needs of 815,000 Scottish households, an increase of 55,000. The increase will not change the project footprint, either offshore or onshore, according to Northland Power.

As for the Scoping Report, the purpose is to engage with stakeholders as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, inviting them to comment on the proposed approach being adopted by Spiorad na Mara and to ensure that an EIA is submitted in support of the eventual application for planning consent, according to the press release.

“This is a very important milestone for the project and a key part of the early development stage of any offshore wind farm. The feedback and input from consultees will enrich and inform our future plans, as we continue to progress the development and design of the project,” said Tanya Davies, Project Director of Spiorad na Mara.

The Scoping Report sets out the topics to be assessed in the EIA which helps the project and statutory consultees to agree on what information is needed, together with the methods that will be used to identify and assess the impacts that could arise from the project, both offshore and onshore.

Located approximately 5 to 13 kilometres off the coast of the Isle of Lewis, Spiorad na Mara is a fixed-bottom offshore wind project planned to be operational in 2031.