Community / Viking landslide damage reinstated as wind farm opponents voice concern
THE DEVELOPER of the Viking Energy wind farm says an area of the Mid Kames has been reinstated after a landslide took away a large section of rocks earlier this month.
A video clip showing rocks moving has been circulating privately during recent days and has now appeared on the Stop Viking Energy Windfarm Facebook page.
Shetland News publishes an edited version of the clip here:
SSE Renewables said the “peat movement” next to the newly constructed track on the Mid Kames ridge happened on the 4 July.
“The area has been reinstated with the peat pulled back into position and retaining rock bunds added ensuring the area is safe,” a spokesperson for the company said.
“Geotechnical investigations have been carried out to determine the cause of the movement and any additional measures for future prevention will depend on their findings.”
A request for information about the extent of the landslide and its distance to any turbine bases remains unanswered.
The chairman of grassroots group Sustainable Shetland, which has been campaigning against the 103-turbine wind farm for many years, said there have been warnings that the location was a “high-risk area for peat slides” for a long time.
A few years back, a peat slide occurred on the east side of the Mid Kames ridge and is still visible from the A970.
Frank Hay added: “It is particularly worrying that this should happen in unexceptional weather. There hasn’t been a really heavy rainfall event there since the track was constructed.
“The floating roads that Viking have employed in various places may well float more than was intended if this evidence is anything to go by.
“Just how suitable these tracks are going to be for the really heavy wind turbine components is something that should be very carefully assessed.”
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