APPLICATIONS to build 200 giant wind turbines off the North Wales coast have been submitted to the UK and Welsh governments. It follows four days of public exhibitions this month in North Wales and Wirral where 650 people looked at plans for Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm. Npower renewables wants to build the wind farm 13 to 15 kilometres off the coast of North Wales, between Prestatyn and Penrhyn Bay. It would stand even further offshore than the company's existing windfarm and the new development would generate up to 750 megawatts (MW). Each turbine could be up to 165 metres (540 feet) tall at their highest point, depending on the exact type installed. Subsea power cables will take the electricity from the turbines to up to four offshore electrical substations. Cables will then take electricity ashore. The consent applications to build and operate the Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm have been submitted to the Department of Trade and Industry, the National Assembly for Wales and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Environmental impact studies, commissioned by npower renewables - which have looked at everything from the seascape, to shipping routes, to birds and marine wildlife - have been sent with the applications. The government will make its decision by reviewing information, drawing advice from technical specialists and reviewing responses from the consultation process. If the application is successful, work should start on building Gwynt y Môr in 2008. The windfarm has the potential to supply power to 2% of UK households, and save carbon dioxide equivalent to taking 590,000 cars off the road, says npower renewables. The company's project manager Georgia Markwell said: "As well as providing large amounts of clean energy and preventing the release of millions of tonnes of polluting carbon dioxide gas, it is estimated that the Gwynt y Mor offshore windfarm would create some 120 new jobs during its opera-tional life, the vast majority of which would be in the local area." Although the proposed windfarm area had been chosen to avoid as far as possible all major navigable routes in South Liverpool Bay, the Chamber of Shipping has described massive wind-farms as "a disaster waiting to happen". The company says part of a risk assessment takes into account the cumulative effect of other developments within five miles and mitigation measures are included such as lighting and marking. The Royal Academy of Engineering has also warned that electricity from offshore windfarms will cost at least twice as much as from conventional sources. It said the cheapest electricity was generated from gas turbines and nuclear power stations. Environmental campaigner Klaus Armstrong-Braun has also lodged objections to the development claiming it would effect the integrity of a proposed Special Protection Area and deter sea birds. carlbutler@dailypost.co.uk | 
