On June 1, 2023, the State Council granted conditional consents to Ørsted Wind Power, Nordi Offshore Wind and Skyborn Renewables Finland to carry out sea area and seabed surveys related to offshore wind farm projects in the Finnish economic zone.
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Ørsted Wind Power A/S's research areas "Kristiinankaupunki Itä" and "Kristiinankaupunki Länsi" are located in the Selkä Sea in front of Kristiinankaupunki (Merikarvia).
The areas are approximately 165 square kilometers (East) and 335 square kilometers (West). The conditional consent to research activities given by the Government is valid until August 1, 2025.
Nordi Offshore Wind Oy's research area "Hauki" is located in the Selkä Sea about 35 kilometers west of Merikarvia. The surface area of ​​the area is approximately 260 square kilometers.
The conditional consent given by the Government is valid until 30 November 2025.
The completed research area of ​​Skyborn Renewables Finland Oy (formerly Wpd Finland Oy) is located in the northern part of Merenkurku, approximately 30 kilometers from Pietarsaari.
The extended study area also covers the area used by sea traffic going to the port of Kokkola, which runs through the middle of the original 405 square kilometer study area.
The conditional consent to research activity given by the Government is valid according to the original research permit (VN 20.1.2022) until 30.11.2023.
Regarding Ørsted and Skyborn Renewables, the Government's decision is enforceable despite the appeal, unless the appeals authority orders otherwise.
As far as Nordi Offshore is concerned, research activities can be started six months after the initiation of the application on June 19, 2023.
The condition of the Government's consent is that the applicant, the project implementer or the successor who came in his place fulfills the conditions set out in the decision.
The licensee should, among other things, follow the general precautionary principle in his investigations in order to prevent and minimize damage.
The studies should also find a technically, functionally and environmentally appropriate project area for the new offshore wind farm, so that the current or possible future economic exploitation or other use of the Finnish economic zone or other use or marine scientific research is hindered to the least extent possible.
The Government's consent to research in individual research areas does not yet mean the grant of investment or construction rights to the recipient of the research permit, nor does it give priority to research aimed at economic exploitation or a possible future construction permit for the areas in question.
There are also no factors that would prevent the Government from granting two separate, time-limited research permits for the same area of ​​the economic zone.
The decision on the implementation of the offshore wind farm and the possible developer will be made later in the economic zone approval process. ■