npower renewables Tow Law Wind Farm was completed in December 2001 and is located
to the south of the B6301, to the east of the town of Tow Law, County Durham.
It is a 2.3 megawatt (MW) wind farm and has been built on land which is owned by
local farmers. Its three turbines generate enough clean electricity to meet
the average annual needs of around 1,100 homes.
History
Planning permission for a wind farm at Tow Law was granted in December
1994. npower renewables became involved in 1998 and won a NFFO5 contract for
the project in that year. npower renewables reviewed the original proposal for eight,
500 kW turbines and agreed with the local planning authority to reduce the number
to three turbines, each with a capacity of 770kW.
npower renewables worked closely with Northern Electric who own an adjacent,
three turbine wind farm about a kilometre to the east of the Tow Law Wind Farm
at High Hedley Hope. To minimise the disturbance to the local community during
the construction phase the two wind farms were built at the same time using
just one site entrance located on the East Hedleyhope Road near its junction
with the B6301.
