Ministry rejects application for superficies license for Hiiumaa wind farm

TALLINN – The Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications has refused an application by Sunly Wind OU for a superficies license to build an offshore wind farm near Hiiumaa island, as it considers that the designing and construction of the wind farm requires the preparation of a national designated spatial plan or another relevant spatial plan. 

At the beginning of June, the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority forwarded to other relevant authorities an application by Sunly Wind OU for the construction of a 396-megawatt wind farm in the Hiiu sea area with a view to initiating a superficies license procedure for the farm.

According to the ministry, the Supreme Court by a decision of Aug. 8, 2018 annulled the county plan for wind energy production areas in the sea area bordering Hiiu County. Accordingly, the preparation of a national designated spatial plan for the planned wind power plant of Sunly Wind is mandatory, since there is no valid thematic spatial plan of a national spatial plan for the location of the structures in question in said sea area.

Despite the fact that the total capacity of the planned wind farm is four megawatts smaller than the nominal wind farm capacity of 400 megawatts set forth in the Planning Act, the wind farm consisting of 33 turbines and extending over an area of ​​82 square kilometers will have a significant spatial impact, and there is great national interest in the selection of its location and its subsequent operation, the ministry added.