The next 10 years will see an unprecedented number of critical National Energy Infrastructure projects constructed in East Lothian, both on and offshore.
Plans are already under way for the Berwick Bank Wind Farm, Branxton Battery Energy Storage, North Belton Battery Energy Storage, Crystal Rig IV onshore Windfarm, Crystal Rig solar farm, Newlands Hill Wind Energy Hub (Windfarm), Capping off and restoration of Oxwellmains Landfill and the Eastern Link project, as well as the decommissioning of Torness Power Station.
Each of the projects is expected to bring hundreds of workers to the area, but concerns have been expressed about where they will stay, additional traffic on the road and ensuring that the area reaps the benefits.
Innerwick and its surrounding villages and hamlets are on the frontline, being on the main route taken by the cables and construction traffic. Stenton and Spott are impacted to a lesser extent by the development at North Belton. Stenton will be affected by views of the Newlands Hill turbines on the skyline to the south and possibly by construction traffic, the routes are not yet known.
Berwick Bank Wind Farm, which has already secured a grid connection at Branxton, near Torness, will be created 40 kilometres off the county coast and feature more than 200 turbines, the largest windfarm in Europe and possibly the world.
Braxton and Belton Battery Storage facilities are to help match energy demand at peaks with the wind generation available by storing energy at peak generation and releasing it at peak demand.
Fred Olsen Renewables will be adding a further 11 turbines and a Solar Farm at their Crystal Rig site up in the Lammermuir hills
The Eastern Link project involves more than £1.5 billion of underwater cabling linking Thorntonloch Beach, near the East Lothian town, to County Durham. This will form part of the backbone of the UK’s energy supply.
Finally, Torness Power Station is expected to stop generating power in March 2028. De-fuelling and decommissioning is expected to last for around 20 years
Berwick Bank Onshore application for Planning Permission in Principle (PPP) submitted April 2023, deadline for Representations closed May 23. No date for anticipated Determination Date advertised by ELC.
Onshore PPP granted by ELC May 2023. more …
Branxton Energy Bank: The 4 month consultation period for ELC to submit comments to ECU ends 6th August 2023. No advertised date for ECU determination but expected to be 2024. Grid connection is late 2027 so Construction, ECU Consent depending, could start early 2027 but not likely to be before this due to fixed grid connection date. more …
Crystal Rig Phase IV:
11 turbines up to 200m, 42MW
Construction commences Q3 2023
Route to site will be A1 to Innerwick Junction then south to site entrance
Crystal Rig Solar:
30MW solar array
Public consultation ongoing. more …
Dunbar Battery Energy Storage: FRV TH Powertek are building a 49.9MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is proposed, 850m north of Pitcox and 3km south west of Dunbar.
Underground cable to the point of connection (substation immediately south of the site). more …
Eastern Link: Braxton Substation: Planning Permission in Principle (PPP) application submitted to ELC in June 2023. Application not yet validated by ELC
Converter Station at Oxwell Mains Landfill: Planning Permission in Principle (PPP) granted by ELC in May 2023. Marine licence also granted by Scot Gov for marine cables. more …
The Neart na Gaoithe (NnG) offshore wind farm will be located 15.5 km off the Fife coast and covers an area of approximately 105 km2. EDF Renewables UK acquired the project in May 2018 as part of a competitive bidding process. Completing is expected Q1 2024. more …
Newlands Hill Wind Energy Hub: The proposal is for 17 turbines with tip heights ranging from 180m to 200m. Located approximately 6km SE of Gifford and 9km South of Stenton, with a capacity up to 112MW. Construction traffic and grid connection routes have not been provided yet. Planning application 2023, with target completion 2027. more…
Torness Defueling begins when a station stops generating in 2028. EDF will remove all spent fuel from the site using the same methods used during generation. Defueling is expected to last for approximately four years, followed by a further 12 years decommissioning. The site will be cleared sometime after 2044. more …
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Developer Contacts:
| Development | Company | Contact details |
| Eastern Link / Oxwellmains Converter station / Branxton sub-station | SPEN | easternlink@spenergynetworks.co.uk |
| Berwick Bank Landfall / Skateraw Converter Station | SSE | Gary Donlin gary.donlin@sse.com |
| Neart na Gaoithe windfarm | NnG | info@nngoffshorewind.com |
| Crystal Rig IV & Solar Farm | Fred Olsen Renewables | Kirsty Leiper kirsty.leiper@fredolsen.com www.crystalrigwindfarm.co.uk |
| Branxton Energy Storage Facility | East Coast Grid Services Ltd. | Steve Ruggi steve.ruggi@gridcodepower.com http://branxtonenergystorage.com/ |
| Dunbar Battery Energy Storage System | Sirius Planning representing FRV Powertek | Dan Elvin dan.elvin@thesiriusgroup.com |
| Decommissioning of Torness | EDF | Ashleigh.dickson@edf-energy.com |
| Newlands Hill Wind Energy Hub | Belltown Power | Matt Olley matt.olley@belltownpower.com Sam McMillan sam.mcmillan@mcmillan.scot https://www.newlandshillwindenergyhub.com/ |
| Oxwellmains Landfill | Valencia | be confirmed |
Regulatory & Government Contacts:
| Energy Consents Unit (ECU) | |
| Econsents_Admin@gov.scot | This is the division of Scottish Government that deal with developments covered by the Electricity Act 1989. Applications under Section 36 of this Act go directly to ECU & are determined by the ECU, albeit via consultation with the relevant local authority. |
| jayne.anderson@gov.scot | Case Officer for DPEA. Appointed Reporter is Paul Cackette. |
| East Lothian Council (ELC) | |
| dproudfoot@eastlothian.gov.uk | Douglas Proudfoot, ELC Executive Director of Place (aka head of planning). |
| kdingwall@eastlothian.gov.uk | Keith Dingwall, ELC Planning Service Manager. |
| Elected Representatives – MPs & MSPs | |
| kenny.macaskill.mp@parliament.uk | Kenny Macaskill, MP for East Lothian, Alba Party |
| paul.mclennan.msp@parliament.scot | Paul MacLennan, MSP East Lothian & SNP Housing Minister. |
| Martin.Whitfield.msp@parliament.scot | Martin Whitfield List MSP for South Scotland. |
| Local Councillors: | |
| ljardine1@eastlothian.gov.uk | Lyn Jardine, Dunbar & East Linton Ward SNP. |