UK rejects Vattenfall's Thanet Extension wind farm application

London — UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Alok Sharma has rejected Vattenfall's application to build the 340 MW Thanet Extension Offshore Wind Farm project in Pegwell Bay off the southeast English coast of Kent, according to documents published June 2 by the Infrastructure Planning Inspectorate.

The examining authority concluded that Vattenfall had failed to demonstrate sufficient mitigation of risks to navigational safety, the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said in a letter to the Swedish developer.

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"Concerns throughout the examination were focused on the effect of the proposed development on navigational safety of shipping traffic in immediately adjacent waters to the proposed development; the resilience of facilities and services (including ports and pilotage) accessed by that shipping traffic; and in this context, the degree to which the proposed development was policy compliant," BEIS said.

The examining authority noted both the Port of Tilbury and London Gateway Port maintained that a 10% increase in traffic used in Vattenfall's Collision Risk Assessment was insufficient to account for future traffic growth.

Vattenfal has six weeks in which to file a legal challenge to the decision.

Commenting on the decision June 3, Danielle Lane, UK Country Manager for Vattenfall, said: "Naturally we're very disappointed by this decision and will consider how we proceed from here. We continue to believe that Thanet Extension would be an important development for the local area, for UK energy security, and for the drive to reduce emissions."