By Christmas 2005 all the turbines on the windfarm should have been erected according to the plans presented by Scottish Power to the Edderton Community Council at their May meeting. January 2006 will be used to run the project in before it is fully commissioned at the beginning of February.
Work is well in progress to provide grid connection including the building of the sub-station. This has to be done by the time the first turbine is in place which should be in early September. At present building work at Aultnamain is concentrated on the junction with the B9176, the access road and the roads on the windfarm site. By the end of June the construction of the tower bases will start.
Before the turbines and tower components can be transported from Invergordon in September, the Strath Rory Bridge must be strengthened. This work was scheduled by Highland Council for completion within the next few years anyway, but is now being carried out by the windfarm contractors. It involves building a temporary bridge a little upstream while the old bridge is strengthened. The temporary bridge will then be removed leaving the historical site more or less unchanged.
Traffic on the B9176 is affected by these road works and this will continue during the main tourist season. However the main interruptions when the turbine components are being delivered will take place when most of the tourist traffic is over. Also these movements have been carefully planned so that they do not coincide with the start and finish of school or with local events that could generate more traffic than usual. There will be about 100 movements over a three month period and notice of when they will occur will be given.
The concerns the Community Council had about the access road have been addressed; the access road now curves across the bog instead of carving a straight gash across the landscape. The Council was also worried about the impact on the environment near the B9176. Scottish Power has a land management plan which aims to enhance the blanket bog area and the habitat of the birds living there. They will dam drains and cut back unwanted plants like reeds and bracken. At the same time they will plant trees and shrubs. To help the area get established, stock will be kept out for the first five years.
The contractors are employing consultants to carry out regular hydrological surveys in order to monitor the wetness of the area, probably the most sensitive environmental issue. Other independent experts are monitoring archaeological finds and bird-life on an almost daily basis.
Scottish Power will be inviting the residents of Edderton to inspect the windfarm when it is up and running in February. In the meantime their project manager, Stewart Alexander, is keeping in close touch with the Council. Anyone who has enquiries to make of Scottish Power or points of view to put to them are welcome get in touch with Chairman Graham Park, Vice-Chair Paul Hoggarth or the Secretary, Robin Ashby.
The timetable given below has taken into consideration a certain number of possible reasons for delay. For example the turbines will be delivered during the autumn which is the windiest time of the year. Erection can only take place in light winds. Delays have been calculated in based on the average strength of the wind. So if the wind blows too hard too often there will be delays.
Timescales
April: Building of junction between access road and B9176
April to mid September: Construction of grid connection
April to November: Building of access and windfarm roads
May to September: Strengthening of the Strath Rory Bridge
Mid May to mid September: Construction of sub-station
Late June to late October: Building of tower bases
Mid July to mid September: Electrical installation
Mid September to mid December: Delivery and erection of turbines
January 2006: Turbine test period
February 2006: Windfarm in full production |
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Windfarm
