ScottishPower begins expansion works at its Arecleoch and Kilgallioch wind farms in the UK

Iberdrola takes another step forward in the improvement and modernisation of its renewable facilities worldwide.The company, through its UK subsidiary ScottishPower, has begun expansion works at its Arecleoch and Kilgallioch wind farms, located in the Scottish council areas of South Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway. With this, the utility will strengthen the production capacity of both facilities and enhance their efficiency, thus advancing the unstoppable process of electrifying the economy.

After obtaining all the required administrative and environmental permits, Arecleoch and Kilgallioch will have 13 and 9 additional wind turbines respectively, allowing them to reach a combined installed capacity of nearly 485 megawatts (MW). Once completed, both wind farms will be able to generate enough clean electricity to meet the energy needs of around 300,000 British households.

The benefits of Iberdrola’s renewed commitment to these two facilities will also extend to the communities where they are located, both in terms of socio-economic value creation and environmental improvements. To date, Arecleoch and Kilgallioch, operational since 2011 and 2017, have together generated almost £16 million (over €18.5 million) in tax contributions, and by the end of their lifespan they are expected to provide more than £31.4 million (over €36.3 million) to local authorities.

From an environmental perspective, the expansion of Arecleoch includes the restoration of 34 hectares of peatland on a reforested site. At Kilgallioch, 25 hectares of peatland have already been rehabilitated. In addition, the land adjacent to this wind farm, located in the Kirkcowan Flow Special Area of Conservation, will undergo significant restoration to improve habitat resilience and recover natural hydrology.

Iberdrola, a leading energy player in the United Kingdom
Through ScottishPower, Iberdrola is one of the largest energy companies in the UK. Its activities focus on electricity networks, renewable energy, and energy retail.

Regarding the first area, Iberdrola’s UK subsidiary currently operates, under its brands SP Energy Networks and SP Electricity North West (following the acquisition of ENW), as the second-largest distribution network operator in the UK. It supplies electricity to around 12 million people through more than 170,000 kilometres of power lines.

SP Energy Networks distributes and connects electricity in Merseyside, Cheshire and North Shropshire (England), North Wales, as well as central and southern Scotland. SP Electricity North West distributes electricity in north-west England, including Manchester and the Lake District, and also owns and operates the high-voltage transmission network in central and southern Scotland. Iberdrola plans to invest up to €13.902 billion (approximately £12 billion) by 2031 under RIIO-T3 in a major programme to renew UK infrastructure and boost electrification.

In terms of renewables, ScottishPower has almost 3,100 MW of installed capacity, comprised of 40 onshore wind farms and two offshore projects. It is also building the East Anglia Three offshore wind farm, the second largest in the world, as well as East Anglia Two and East Anglia One North. Together with the already operational East Anglia One, they will form the East Anglia Hub, an ambitious project that will generate up to 3.9 GW of capacity on the UK’s east coast.

Finally, in the retail sector, ScottishPower, with 4.2 million customers, is one of the largest energy suppliers in the UK. It sells electricity and gas, while also helping customers install smart solutions such as electric vehicle chargers, heat pumps, and domestic solar systems in homes across the country.