More than 40 comments were received on the environmental impact assessment of the project.
The South Ostrobothnia Regional Development Centre calls for more attention to be paid to underwater nature and winter shipping in the planning of a giant offshore wind farm.
Skyborn Renewables Offshore Finland plans to build up to 120 power plants in the sea area off Kokkola, Pietarsaari and Uusikaarlepy. It would be located about 25 km off the coast.
The company’s environmental impact assessment programme received 46 comments and five opinions.
Traficom and Väylävirasto state in their statements that the evaluation should clarify the effects of the park on the shipping of the Gulf of Bothnia, both nationally and with a cross-border examination.
The Swedish Maritime Administration also assessed to Yle in December that the offshore wind farms planned for the Gulf of Pohjan could make shipping difficult in the winter. In difficult ice conditions, ships and icebreakers must deviate from the usual route. In this case, several wind turbines located close to each other may be in the way.
Another, even bigger park is also planned for the coast of Pohjanlahti. About 150 power plants would be coming to the OX2 company’s park. Hydrogen production has also been outlined for both.
Ely stresses that the EIA evaluation must also create the project’s effects on the landscape, birdlife and land use on the mainland.
Electricity transmission would take place in the area with sea cables and on the mainland with overhead lines.
The parks planned for the open sea of \u200b\u200bthe Gulf of Pohjan’s coast are worth billions of euros.