The site of a proposed onshore substation at Bicker Fen will be slashed by more than half following RWE Npower Renewables decision to cut the number of wind turbines in its Triton Knoll development off the coast of Mablethorpe.
The original proposal for 280 turbines would have needed a substation site of almost 50 acres, but the new proposal – which sees the number of turbines reduced by nearly half – cuts that to a little over 21 acres.
Residents will have an opportunity to take part in a formal consultation before a planning application goes to Boston Borough Council later this year.
The company says cutting back on the scale will make the project more economic and competitive and the development will have less “impact on the surrounding environment and communities”.
Undersea cables will be laid to a site north of Anderby Creek and then underground cables will connect to an intermediate compound next to the Wainfleet Road Industrial Estate at Skegness before linking to the substation at Bicker Fen.
RWE Npower Renewables say the new capacity will range between 600 and 900 megawatts and could create enough energy to power between 550,000 and 800,000 average UK homes.