Suurhiekka was an early Finnish offshore wind proposal sited on the Suurhiekka shallow bank in the Bothnian Bay, roughly 20–25 km off the coast near Ii/Oulu. Developed initially by wpd (through a local project company), the scheme was conceived at a modest scale by today’s standards — the environ...
The Suurhiekka offshore wind farm developed by wpd Finland (Suurhiekka Offshore Oy) was initially planned to start construction in 2014, but following delays the project’s water law permit was extended in December 2015 so that construction works had to begin by 10 May 2019 and be completed by 10 May 2029 or the permit would lapse. This set 10 May 2019 as the latest permissible start date for offshore construction activities on the Suurhiekka shoal in the Bothnian Bay, although no construction actually commenced.
On 18 December 2015, the Regional State Administrative Agency of Northern Finland approved Suurhiekka Offshore Oy’s request to extend the implementation period of the Suurhiekka offshore wind farm’s water permit, setting new deadlines that required construction to begin by 10 May 2019 and all works to be completed by 10 May 2029, after which the permit would otherwise be deemed lapsed.
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Suurhiekka Offshore Wind Farm (wpd), Suurhiekan merituulipuisto, Suurhiekka Offshore Wind Farm, Suurhiekka Offshore Oy project
Suurhiekka Offshore Oy submitted an application on 11 September 2014 to the Regional State Administrative Agency of Northern Finland requesting that the deadlines in water permit decision 10/11/2 for the Suurhiekka offshore wind farm be extended by three years for starting construction and by ten years for completing the project, citing the project’s large scale, complex coordination and demanding financing conditions.
As part of water permit decision 10/11/2 for the Suurhiekka offshore wind farm, the Regional State Administrative Agency of Northern Finland issued a positive environmental acceptance, formally approving the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment and associated mitigation measures.
The Regional State Administrative Agency of Northern Finland granted water permit decision 10/11/2 for the Suurhiekka offshore wind farm, authorising construction of 80 turbines as Finland’s first full‑scale offshore wind project and leaving only a technical approval outstanding before construction could start.
On 25 March 2010, the Finnish Association for Impact Assessment granted its annual "Good EIA" award to wpd Finland Oy for the exemplary environmental impact assessment of the Suurhiekka offshore wind park, recognising the project’s thorough assessment of significant environmental impacts, mitigation measures, and strong public and stakeholder engagement.
wpd Finland Oy applied to the Regional State Administrative Agency of Northern Finland for a Water Act permit for the 400 MW Suurhiekka offshore wind farm on the Suurhiekka shoal in the northern Gulf of Bothnia, marking the project’s entry into the permitting phase after completion of a two‑year Environmental Impact Assessment and initial site investigations.
Following completion of the EIA, wpd Finland Oy began wind measurement campaigns for the Suurhiekka offshore wind farm in September 2009 to characterise the wind resource at the Suurhiekka shoal site in the northern Gulf of Bothnia.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process for the Suurhiekka offshore wind project was completed at the end of August 2009 after two years of intensive site investigations, marking the conclusion of a comprehensive environmental and baseline survey campaign required to support the water permit application.
wpd Finland Oy executed an exclusive lease agreement for the Suurhiekka offshore wind farm area in 2007, securing development rights over the Suurhiekka shoal site in the northern Gulf of Bothnia and enabling subsequent permitting and survey work for the 400 MW project.
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