What is being proposed?
Proposed Development
The proposed Meenakeeran wind farm includes five turbines, a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) area and associated ancillary development, as illustrated on the site layout plan above.
Turbine technology has not yet been selected for the site; therefore, a range of turbines are being proposed within the maximum tip height of 150 metres. This includes rotor lengths of between 58.5m – 69m and hub heights of between 78m – 92m, with a maximum capacity of up to 25MW.
The lands under applicant control extend to an area of approximately 105 hectares and include the proposed site. The lands within the proposed application site will total approximately 37 hectares.
The turbine dimensions being proposed for the Meenakeeran site are in line with other proposed projects being brought forward in Northern
Ireland.
Ancillary Development
Ancillary development includes internal access tracks and a crane hard standing adjacent to each turbine. A temporary construction compound
and a permanent substation/control building to house transformers and switch gear to connect the wind farm to the grid will also be required.
Following receipt of planning permission, NIE Networks will dictate the location the wind farm connects to the grid and the route the connection
takes; however, we have provided an indicative assessment.
Unlike any other type of development, a wind farm planning permission only lasts for 35 years, after which the above ground elements of the wind
farm would be decommissioned and removed from the site.