The four Lewis crofting townships which plan to build their own turbine schemes have welcomed SSE’s submission of a business case to build a interconnector link across the Minch.
The subsea cable is required to connect proposed island windfarms to the mainland grid.
The townships of Sandwick North Street, Melbost and Brananhuie, Sandwick East Street and Aignish have applied for permission to the Crofting Commission to develop turbines on their common grazings.
They intend to bid for a vital subsidy in an government auction next year.
In a joint statement the four grazing committees said: “We welcome the submission and the aim of the four townships is that our turbines will constitute 105MW of the proposed 600MW interconnector.
“This interconnector cannot be just for the multinationals. It has to be for the communities too.
“The sad fact is that we are the only community projects in a position to participate in the (subsidy) auction next year and the only ones with any prospect of development – and without community turbines on the interconnector, the ultimate benefit for the islands will be pitiful.”
Townships welcome interconnector milestone
15 August 2018
