Denmark Rethinks Offshore Project

The Energy Board of Appeal has cancelled and withdrawn the part of the construction licence for the Vattenfall's Vesterhav Syd Offshore Wind Farm concerning assessment of environmental impacts, with a view to renewed processing by the Danish Energy Agency (DEA).

Following the cancelation, DEA has initiated a new environmental impact assessment (EIA) process for Vattenfall’s Offshore Wind Farm, said an official statement from the agency.

An EIA supplement will now be drawn up for the specific project, and after this the Danish Energy Agency will be able to make its final decision on the matter, after consulting the public interests involved and with the right of appeal.

Therefore, the DEA has notified Vattenfall Vindkraft Vesterhav Syd P/S about initiation of a new EIA process for the Vesterhav Syd Offshore Wind Farm that will include the specific project and consultation process for the public interests involved. There will also be a right to appeal.

The decision by the Energy Board of Appeal does not directly concern the Vesterhav Nord Offshore Wind Farm, the statement said.

However, the Danish Energy Agency also expects to reopen part of the construction licence for the Vesterhav Nord project to make a final decision with a right of appeal. The similarities between the two wind turbine projects, Vesterhav Nord and Vesterhav Syd, mean that there could also be a new EIA including public consultation for the Vesterhav Nord project. This will depend on a specific assessment.