Ray II Wind Farm Proposal

Where is Ray II located? 

The Ray II project area is located close to the existing Ray Wind Farm and near the villages of West Woodburn, Elsdon and Kirkwhelpington.

What stage is the project at?

Ray II is at a very early, exploratory stage.

Over the coming months, Vattenfall will be carrying out initial technical and environmental studies. This early work helps us understand:

• The local landscape and environment
• How the land is used
• What constraints or sensitivities may exist.

This information will help determine what kind of project could be possible, and what it might look like. At this stage we believe the site to have potential for:

• Up to 20 wind turbines, with a maximum height of 230m to blade tip
• A Battery Energy Storage System 
• Supporting infrastructure such as access tracks, temporary construction compounds, cabling and a substation
• Grid connection route to Fourstones substation.

If consented the wind farm would be expected to be operational for approx. 35 years, after which the site would either be decommissioned or a new consent sought to extend its life. 

The project is classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) under the Planning Act 2008 because it would generate more than 100 megawatts (MW), which means it must follow the Development Consent Order (DCO) process.  The DCO process is designed for large energy projects and sets out a clear, structured route for assessment and consultation.  

Environmental studies 

As part of this early work, we will be carrying out surveys and assessments to better understand the local environment. These will include studies relating to topics such as:

• Landscape and visual considerations
• Wildlife and habitats
• Peat and soils
• Cultural heritage
• Noise
• Traffic and access

We want to be open about the work we are doing, and we welcome questions or local insight that may help inform these studies as the project develops.