Site 6 = Blackford Energy Park 500MW
(ECU application in progress)

Sixth site (Blackford Energy Park) Owner = Noriker Power (45% owned by Equinor formerly known as Statoil)

This is the same owner as site 3, it uses the site 3 access track, and is in effect an extension of the site.

See the project website here = https://blackfordenergypark.com/

Physical Size = 32.8 acres (equivalent to 21 football fields)

When Planning went in = July 2025

Whats Next = ECU Application

Time line for construction = to start Q1 2028, to go online Q4 2029

How long lease period = 40 years

Power Output = 500MW, Capacity = 1GWh release over 2 hour period

Energy Consents Unit reference =  ECU00006121 Application LIVE 

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**OBJECT NOW - Click here for a TEMPLATE OBJECTION EMAIL, a TEMPLATE OBJECTION LETTER or here for BACKGROUND DOCUMENT**

Expiry Date for Comment is Tuesday 26th August 2025

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We held a Public Meeting at Rothienorman Greenview Centre on Tuesday 19th August at 7pm to review the developers submitted reports for this application - CLICK HERE for a copy of the slides. 

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You can object now = Representations can either be made via email to Representations_Mailbox@gov.scot or in writing by post to Energy Consents Unit, Scottish Government, 5 Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw, Glasgow, G2 8LU.  In your representation to the Scottish Government, you should identify the proposal and specify the grounds for representation. Representations should be dated and should clearly state the name (in block capitals) and full return email or postal address of those making the representation.

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Aberdeenshire Council Planning Enquiry Ref: ENQ/2025/0428 and APP/2025/1152

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As well as the battery storage, this proposal includes 4500 solar PV panels, which will generate electricity on site. 

Bear in mind, they say that it will take 8MWh to run the site (mainly air-conditioning units to cool the batteries), but these solar panels will only generate 2MWh - so a quarter of what they need to power the site - no excess will be exported back to the grid annually.

Major issue with this site is water run off - they are creating terraces, then concrete bases for all the batteries - they plan to slow release the water run off into the eastern brook - this will then effect the private water supplies of all the properties that are downstream, where it goes into the old mill ponds and onward into the Black Burn and into Rothienorman.

Dr Frank Richards has done some modelling of the potential smoke, fire and water run off if there was an incident at the proposed 500MW Blackford Energy Park - this was delivered to the Fyvie, Rothienorman & Monquhitter Community Council meeting on 25th March 2025.  It shows that lethal fumes from a fire would reach Rothienorman village within 2 minutes, and that the water run off from fire fighting will contaminate the Black Burn which also runs directly into the village - download a copy of the presentation HERE

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