First Power

Spiorad na Mara’s first export of electricity to the grid is currently planned for around 2031, aligning with the project’s anticipated move into operational status at that time. Northland Power’s project FAQs state that, subject to all required consents and securing a Contract for Difference (CfD), construction could start in 2028 with completion in 2031, implying that initial generation and grid export would be achieved by the end of this construction window. A separate industry report similarly notes that the fixed-bottom offshore wind farm, located off the Isle of Lewis, is planned to be operational in 2031, reinforcing this indicative first-power timeline.[2][3] The project’s February 2026 Planning Statement further frames this schedule by confirming that the applicant seeks to deliver electricity to the National Electricity Transmission System (NETS) from the early 2030s, consistent with a first-power milestone around 2031 for a project of approximately 900 MW capacity.[1] Taken together, these sources indicate that first power is a planned, future event rather than one already achieved. The timing remains contingent on successful consenting, a positive CfD outcome, and execution of the three-year construction programme, but the current development narrative consistently points to initial grid export and commencement of operational life around 2031.