Phased approach
SMart Wind is taking forward a phased development programme. In order to deliver 4GW, the Hornsea Zone will be divided into ‘Subzones’ of approximately 1.2GW. Each Subzone consists of two Blocks and each Block is approximately 600MW. Each of the two Blocks shares a connection to shore.
Given the scale of the Hornsea Zone, we will undertake information collection and analysis at two levels: Zone and Project level.
Scoping Report
In November 2010, we submitted the Scoping Report to the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) detailing the proposed approach to the development of Block One of the 4GW Hornsea Zone. This report sets out the proposed content, key issues and methodologies for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the results of which will be included in the Environment Statement due to be submitted with the consent application in the summer of 2012.
The Scoping Report covers the following offshore components:
- The wind turbines and cabling
- The offshore substation
- Export cable route to shore
- The onshore cable route corridor
- The converter station required to connect to the grid at Killingholme substation in North Lincolnshire.
The IPC has provided a response to this Scoping Report, which sets out any additional requirements for surveys and/or assessment and includes responses from statutory and non-statutory stakeholders. We are using this response to help guide the EIA for Block One.
Offshore surveys
We are currently conducting a a number of offshore surveys of the Hornsea Zone including; bird and marine mammals, benthic ecology, geophysical and metocean data collection. Further surveys including geotechnical investigations and underwater noise surveys are also planned. Onshore surveys will be carried out in 2011, including habitat and protected species surveys.
Stakeholder engagement
In parallel to the Environmental Impact Assessment and ongoing surveys, we will host a series of stakeholder engagement meetings and consultation events through 2011.The results of both the surveys and stakeholder consultations will inform the design of the Zone.