Fortum to initiate EIA procedures for five wind turbines on the island of Bergö
in Maalahti municipality
Fortum is to initiate EIA (environmental impact assessment) procedures for the
construction of maximum five wind turbines on the island of Bergö. In the first
stage, a so-called EIA programme will be created for the project, after which an
EIA report will be produced. Both will be submitted to the West Finland
Environment Centre, which acts as the coordinating authority.
A less extensive environmental assessment from last summer already exists for
the Bergö wind power plants. The environmental impact assessment that is now
being started up is expected to take approximately one year.
Town planning for the Bergö wind power area is also being initiated. The
planning is led by the municipality of Maalahti, and it is expected to be
completed in approximately a year's time. If the municipality and other
authorities grant the necessary permits within the planned timeframe, the five
wind power plants on Bergö could begin producing electricity in 2013.
The plan is to build the wind power plants in a wooded area in the village of
Granö in the south-western part of the island of Bergö. According to the
regional land use plan of the Ostrobothnia region, the area Fortum has leased
and partly purchased from the local land owners is a suitable area for wind
power production.
Fortum will begin wind measurements during December, when a temporary
measurement mast will be erected in the wind plant area.
The total capacity of the five 3- to 5-megawatt (MW) turbines on Bergö will be
15 to 20 MW depending on the selected turbine size. "The wind power plants are
to be placed as far away from populated areas as possible, at least 500 metres
away to minimise disturbances," says Sebastian Johansen from Fortum's wind power
unit.
Fortum supports increasing the use of carbon-dioxide free energy production and
renewable sources of energy, and is doing its part to reach the ambitious goals
in renewable energy that Finland has committed to. Fortum's aim is to increase
wind power production significantly by 2025.
Fortum, Power Division
For further information please contact: Sebastian Johansen, Manager, Fortum
tel. +358 40 354 3683