Renewable energy developer Statkraft has announced that it has submitted a scoping report for an upcoming solar nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP).
The Mylen Leah solar project is a proposed 500MW solar PV power plant set to be located in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Plans for the development were revealed in September 2024, and Stakraft expects the final application for a development consent order (DCO) to be submitted to the planning inspectorate at the end of 2025, with final planning approval or denial expected sometime in 2027.
While no potential date for construction to begin (if the development is approved) has been revealed, Statkraft has suggested that the construction process could take around two years, suggesting the earliest possible commissioning date is 2029. The developer expects the lifespan of the development to be up to 60 years from the commissioning date.
The proposed development is located near two other major developments by Statkraft; the Greener Grid Park near Thornton, currently under construction, and the Soay Solar Farm, which is due to begin construction this year.
Early plans for the site suggest that solar panels will be spread across around 1,200 hectares of existing farm land, although a significant portion of the site will be devoted to biodiversity enhancements such as tree planting and hedgerows.
Matt Simpson, Statkraft’s senior solar project manager, said: “We’re pleased to have submitted the scoping report for Mylen Leah Solar Farm to the Planning Inspectorate, the first key milestone in the project’s timeline, setting out the parameters for the environmental-related surveys that we’ll be conducting as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. If consented, Mylen Leah will make a significant contribution to delivering home-grown green electricity and reducing carbon emissions for us all. We look forward to continuing our engagement with the local community as we take the project forward.”
Several NSIPs in development
A recent Solar Power Portal blog highlighted some of the most significant NSIP developments expected across this year, at all stages of development.
DCO applications are expected in the first quarter of this year for Brockwell Solar and Storage’s 400MW solar and 100MW battery energy storage system (BESS) project, the East Park development, as well as Low Carbon’s 400MW solar and 600MW BESS Beacon Fen Energy Park.
Boom Power’s 400MW East Yorkshire Solar Farm is expected to receive a decision in May of this year, and Ecotricity’s delayed decision on the 500MW Heckington Fen solar plant is also due in 2025.
