Scottish Power Renewables has announced plans to undertake a major reconstruction of the Whitelee Windfarm, one of Europe’s largest onshore wind facilities located on moorland near Eaglesham, south of Glasgow. The project, termed a “repowering” initiative, will involve removing the existing 215 turbines that have operated for approximately two decades and replacing them with approximately 124 new turbines, each standing around 110 meters taller than their predecessors.
The comprehensive reconstruction effort carries an estimated cost of £1.5 billion and is structured to occur across three distinct phases over a 10-year timeline, with full operational status anticipated by 2035. The undertaking is projected to substantially increase the facility’s capacity, doubling electricity generation from 539 megawatts to 1 gigawatt—a volume sufficient to supply power to roughly 650,000 homes. Scottish Power has submitted an application to the Scottish government’s energy consents unit, with a complete planning application expected to reach submission by year’s end.
The Whitelee site encompasses approximately 83 square kilometers and has served as a public attraction since its initial phases began operations in the late 2000s, featuring walking paths and a visitor center. Scottish Power emphasized that its phased reconstruction approach would enable the facility to remain accessible to the public throughout the rebuild process. The company further stated that approximately 99 percent of existing turbine materials will be recycled.
Industry analysts project that more than half of Great Britain’s present wind farm capacity will reach operational end-of-life within the next decade, positioning similar repowering projects as increasingly common undertakings. The Whitelee reconstruction is anticipated to generate approximately £330 million for the Scottish economy. Scottish Renewables representatives highlighted the repowering initiative as a significant opportunity to enhance energy security and optimize renewable resource utilization across the nation.
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