Community benefits
Find out how Lethans Wind Farm Extension will bring investment, jobs, and a yearly benefit fund to the local area.
Onshore wind is the lowest cost renewable energy that can be generated in Scotland. It’s one of our best and cleanest natural resources. It can help reduce household bills as well as providing a way of investing in communities so that they can take steps to improve the wellbeing of local people.
Lethans Wind Farm Extension will deliver £5,000 per MW of community benefit funding each year. This will translate to an estimated £9m in community benefits when operational. We will also invest millions into the local economy through the construction period.
We will take great care to develop these proposals to ensure that we maximise the social, economic and environmental benefits for your local community.
Local benefits
Lethans Wind Farm Extension
- During the construction phase of the extension, over £42 million will go to Scottish contractors, supporting 400 jobs in the local area.
- A £750k skills and training fund for the first five years has also been set-up to help local people into jobs and training.
- We are also partnering with nine local community councils to drive a transformative impact through community funding and a targeted economic boost.
Local benefits
Long-term value from the Lethans community benefit fund
The windfarm will provide a community benefit of £5,000 per MW per annum during the life of the windfarm.
Based on current projections for the 10 turbines, this would translate into £9 million over the life of the wind farm for the local community.
We will work hand-in-hand with local people to determine how this money is used to deliver meaningful impact socially, economically and environmentally to the local area.
Community panel to determine funding allocation
A local community panel, comprising representatives from the local community, community councils, the local authority and OnPath Energy will be formed to make recommendations on local community projects that should receive funding. This could range from smaller-scale grants to larger legacy projects.
Priority will be given to projects within the community council areas of the nine community council (9CC) group and Kirkconnel and Kelloholm. These projects will be identified by the 9CC group and Kirkconnel and Kelloholm through their participation in the community fund panel.
The 9CC group consists of Patna, Ochiltree & Skares, Dalmellington, New Cumnock, Cronberry Logan and Luger, Netherthird, Cumnock, Auchinleck, Drongan Rankinston and Stair.