Läti ELWIND meretuulepargi projekti piiriülene keskkonnamõju hindamine

Description of the offshore wind park ELWIND (LATVIA)

1. INFORMATION ON THE

PROPOSED ACTIVITY

(i) Information on the nature of the

proposed activity

Type of activity proposed

ELWIND is a joint Estonian-Latvian state-run

cross-border offshore wind project in the

Baltic Sea. The Latvian offshore windfarm is

planned to be developed on the Kurzeme coast

in the sea area opposite to Pāvilosta around 15

– 20 km from the coast.

EIA procedure will be performed in each

country - Latvia and Estonia - separately

according to the laws and legal procedures of

each country.

Is the proposed activity listed in

Appendix I to the Convention?

Yes

(22) Major installations for the harnessing of

wind power for energy production (wind

farms).

Scope of proposed activity (e.g. main

activity and any/all peripheral

activities requiring assessment) ELWIND is planned to be implemented as a

hybrid project with two functions - to ensure

the transfer of the electricity produced in the

offshore wind farm to the onshore power

transmission network and to build fourth

interconnection between the power

transmission networks in Latvia and Estonia.

Scale of proposed activity (e.g. size,

production capacity, etc.)

In accordance with the planned activity in the

territory of Latvia, the total installed capacity

of the wind park is planned to be from 500 to

1000 MW, depending on available

technologies at the time of project

implementation. Currently, the project is

expected to be implemented with a maximum

of 67 wind turbines depending on the capacity

of each turbine (15 – 25 MW). The maximum

height of the turbines is estimated to be 350

meters with a rotor diameter of up to 300

meters, the planned park size ~ 200 km2.

Description of proposed activity (e.g.

technology used) The building materials used in the construction

of the wind park and, therefore, the possible

pollution will depend on the technology used

for the installation of the turbines, which will

be chosen by the project developer and

available at that time.

Description of purpose of proposed

activity

Estonia and Latvia is cooperating in delivering

pre-development activities to ensure permits to

enable offshore wind electricity generation in

Latvian and Estonian maritime area and

predevelopment of a hybrid electricity

interconnector to improve the security of

supply. Project serves as a proof of concept for

hybrid asset consisting of dual use -

transmission network and offshore wind parks.

The total size of the project is at least 1000

MW, aiming for an annual renewable

electricity output of about 3 to 3,5 TWh (based

on an average annual capacity factor of 40%).

Rationale for proposed activity (e.g.

socio-economic, physical geographic

basis) The project is being developed to increase the

region’s energy independence by promoting

green energy production and improving

international electricity network connection.

Additional information/comments —

(ii) Information on the spatial and

temporal boundaries of the

proposed activity

Location+

The Latvian offshore windfarm is planned to

be developed on the Kurzeme coast in the sea

area E4 (code E4 corresponds to the area

defined in Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) of

Latvia) opposite to Pāvilosta around 15 – 20

km from the coast. Area of the development is

part of Pāvilosta (Dienvidkurzeme district)

and Ventspils district.The distance of E4

territory (within which the wind park will be

built) to the sea border of the Republic of

Estonia is ~ 55 km and ~77 km to the coast, to

the sea border of the Republic of Lithuania ~

100 km and ~100 km to the coast, to the sea

border of the Kingdom of Sweden ~ 50 km and

~112 km to the coast.

Description of the location (e.g.

physical-geographic, socio-economic

characteristics)

The top layer of the seabed consists mainly of

sand and coarse-grained sediment. Only in a

small western part the top layer consists of

mud to muddy sand. Seabed substrate

thickness is unknown. In most of the indicated

area, the water depth is between 20 and 50

meters, in the deepest western part depth does

not exceed 60 meters.Wind farm will probably

be visible from the coast of Ventspils and

Liepajas district populated areas. The site will

most likely not be visible from the town of

Ventspils.Usually, normal fishing methods

(i.e., with trawling ships) are forbidden inside

wind farms because of potential damages on

the wind turbines, cables, or construction

ships. This could have an impact on the fishing

sector because of the reduced space for fishing

in the Baltic Sea. The potential wind farm site

has a low suitability for spawning

grounds.Wind farm site is situated to the south

and therefore has a little impact on the traffic

that goes into the Gulf of Riga. There is very

little shipping traffic nearby. As the area is

defined in Latvian MSP, therefore also air

traffic routes and possible impacts were

already considered.Investigation area of nature

values are further research areas to determine

the existing natural values.

Rationale for location of proposed

activity (e.g. socio-economic,

physical-geographic basis)

The selected area E4 is based on the climate of

the Baltic Sea (glaciation) and the

characteristics of the seabed (depth only up to

45 meters), with a good wind climate and low

impact on seals. Also, the potential site of wind

farm has no significant impact on the air traffic

or shipping routes.

Time-frame for proposed activity (e.g.

start and duration of construction and

operation)

The project is expected to be implemented in

the period from 2021 to 2030. Research stage

(including EIA) is expected to happen from

2023 to 2026, construction stage from 2027 to

2030.

Maps and other pictorial documents

connected with the information on the

proposed activity

The attached maps show the concept of the

project:

-ELWIND map;

- map from Latvian MSP with E4 area

identified.

Additional information/comments

(iii) Information on expected

environmental impacts and

proposed mitigation measures

Scope of assessment (e.g.

consideration of: cumulative impacts,

evaluation of alternatives, sustainable

development issues, impact of

peripheral activities, etc.)

It is planned that different Environmental

studies (see the next section of this table) and

Site Data studies are going to be performed as

a part of EIA in order to receive information

about seabed and all other potential impacts

that may arise.

Expected environmental impacts of

proposed activity (e.g. types,

locations, magnitudes)

Expected environmental impacts of proposed

activity in the E4 zone (according to the

Latvian MSP), project will be developed in the

area of 200 km2. Expected types of

Environmental impacts:- Benthos community;

- Nursery and habitats of Fish and other

pelagic species; - Bat feeding flights and

migratory corridors; - Migration and feeding

areas of birds; - Nursery and habitat of seals

and other marine mammals; - Formation and

distribution of suspended solids; - Visual

impact; - Natura areas; - Nautical.

Inputs (e.g. raw material, power

sources, etc.)

Inputs are going to be specified during the

development of the project.

Outputs (e.g. amounts and types of:

emissions into the atmosphere,

discharges into the water system, solid

waste)

Outputs are going to be specified during the

development of the project as well as during

the process of EIA.

Transboundary impacts (e.g. types,

locations, magnitudes)

Potential transboundary impact is expected to

be associated with the construction phase of

the wind farm, the creation of a new

interconnection in the Baltic Sea, and during

the operation phase of the wind farms, such as,

the impact of underwater noise, the impact on

bird migration, the impact on shipping lanes,

etc. Significance of the transboundary impacts

will be evaluated during environmental impact

assessment.

Proposed mitigation measures (e.g. if

known, mitigation measures to

prevent, eliminate, minimize,

compensate for environmental effects)

Necessary measures will be assessed during

the EIA.

Additional information/comments

(iv) Proponent/developer

Name, address, telephone and fax

numbers

Proponent: Investment and Development

Agency of Latvia, Pērses iela 2, Rīga, LV-

1442, tel.: +371 67039400

(v) EIA documentation

Is the EIA documentation (e.g. EIA

report or EIS) included in the

notification?

No

If no/partial, description of additional

documentation to be forwarded and

(approximate) date(s) when

documentation will be available

It is expected that full EIA is going to be

performed by 2026.

Additional information/comments

Suur-Ameerika 1 / Tallinn 10122 / 626 2802/ [email protected] / www.kliimaministeerium.ee/

Registrikood 70001231

Vastavalt nimekirjale

31.07.2023 nr 6-3/23/3225-3

Läti ELWIND meretuulepargi projekti piiriülene

keskkonnamõju hindamine

Vastavalt piiriülese keskkonnamõju hindamise konventsioonile (Espoo konventsioonile) on Läti

teavitanud Eestit ELWIND meretuulepargi projektist.

ELWIND on Läti ja Eesti meretuuleenergia ühisprojekt Läänemeres. Lätis kavandatakse

meretuulepark võimsusega 500–1000 MW püstitada Kurzeme piirkonnas (Läti mereala

planeeringus ala E4): tuulikute maksimaalne arv on 67, võimsus 15–25 MW ning kõrgus

hinnanguliselt 350 m.

Keskkonnamõju hindamise (KMH) menetluses on käimas programmi etapp (programm on

koostamisel). Kirjale on lisatud Läti saadetud ingliskeelsed materjalid: ülevaatlik projekti ja selle

elluviimisega kaasnevat keskkonnamõju kirjeldav informatsioonidokument, Läti mereala

planeeringu kaart ning projekti üldkaart.

Arvestades ka asjaoluga, et tegemist on Eesti ja Läti ühise avamere tuuleenergia projektiga, on

Kliimaministeeriumi hinnangul vajalik Eesti osalemine Läti ELWIND meretuulepargi projekti

piiriülese keskkonnamõju hindamise menetluses. Ootame 25. augustiks 2023 põhjendatud

arvamusi selle kohta, milline oluline kahjulik piiriülene keskkonnamõju võib Eestile kaasneda, et

Läti saaks sellega arvestada KMH materjalide koostamisel. Palume arvamused esitada

Kliimaministeeriumi e-posti aadressil [email protected] .

Lugupidamisega

(allkirjastatud digitaalselt)

Kaupo Heinma

Asekantsler

Lisad: informatsioonidokument ja kaardid

Rainer Persidski, 626 2973

[email protected]