Estonian municipalities present wind farm development plans

Local governments in Estonia have released details regarding new wind farm developments and their strategic environmental impact assessments.

In Lüganuse Parish, the VKG Wind wind farm project has entered the public consultation phase. The proposed site covers approximately 270 hectares across the Varja village and Lüganuse settlement areas. The project includes five turbines, with four reaching heights of up to 260 meters and one reaching 239 meters. The plan also includes a substation and energy storage facilities. Environmental assessments indicate potential impacts on human well-being due to noise and visual disturbances, as well as significant impacts on local birdlife. Specifically, the project may cause the Varja white-tailed eagle to abandon its habitat, necessitating compensatory measures.

In Lääneranna Parish, the local government has processed feedback from a public exhibition regarding wind farm areas 3 and 3b in the villages of Vatla, Kiska, and Paatsalu. Thirteen opinions were submitted, including three from state agencies such as the Environmental Board and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. Concerns raised included noise, visual landscape changes, impacts on bats and Natura sites, and landownership rights. The municipality has updated technical documents, maps, and mitigation measures based on the feedback, though it rejected proposals to cancel the development or limit turbine height and capacity.