Windfarm gets £22m of extra turbines

Published on Wednesday 30 July 2008 10:41

EAST Lothian's Crystal Rig windfarm is to undergo a £22 million expansion, First Minister Alex Salmond has announced.

Nine extra wind turbines will be built at the site near Dunbar and the extra capacity will be enough to power more than 13,000 homes.

Mr Salmond said the development, together with others recently announced, meant it was "virtually certain" that Scotland would now meet its target of generating 31 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2011.

He announced the Crystal Rig expansion during his visit to the headquarters of wind farm operators Natural Power in Dumfries and Galloway.

He said: "Natural Power is a growing, thriving company, with more than 14,000 megawatts of renewable energy projects on its books. It is an important contributor to Scotland's renewable energy sector and I am delighted to be able to announce this further expansion of the hugely significant Crystal Rig wind farm."

Crystal Rig wind farm was granted consent by Scottish Borders Council in June 2002 and and has expanded in phases to the current 77 turbines.

The nine new turbines will have a capacity of 27 megawatts, taking the total to almost 180 megawatts.