The proposal
About the planned Ray II Wind Farm
Everything on this page comes from Vattenfall's own published material and public planning records. We think the facts make the case on their own — so here they are, plainly.
In summary
What Vattenfall is proposing
Vattenfall — the Swedish state-owned energy company — is developing Ray II on land next to its existing Ray Wind Farm on the Ray Estate, near the villages of West Woodburn, Elsdon and Kirkwhelpington. According to Vattenfall, the site is being explored for:
- Up to -- wind turbines, with a maximum height of -- metres to blade tip.
- A generating capacity of around -- MW — which Vattenfall says could power up to -- homes.
- A Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on the site.
- Supporting infrastructure: access tracks, temporary construction compounds, cabling and a substation.
- A grid connection to Fourstones substation.
- An operational life of around -- years, after which the site would be decommissioned or a new consent sought.
Ray I vs Ray II
How the new scheme compares with the one already here
| Ray I — existing | Ray II — proposed | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Operating since -- | Proposed — application expected ~spring 2027 |
| Turbines | -- | Up to -- |
| Height to blade tip | -- m | Up to -- m |
| Turbine model | -- | Not yet confirmed |
| Generating capacity | -- MW | ≈-- MW |
| Battery storage | Added -- | Included in the proposal |
| Planning route | Local (county council) | National — Development Consent Order |
The single most important line is the third one. Ray II turbines could stand -- metres taller than those already on the estate — an --% increase in height.
Where it would go
On the moors, beside the existing wind farm
The project area lies on upland moorland on and around the Ray Estate, immediately adjacent to the 16 turbines already operating there. The nearest settlements are West Woodburn, Elsdon and Kirkwhelpington, with Ray I's turbines centred a short distance north-west of Kirkwhelpington.
This is open, elevated country. Turbines here are visible across a wide area — including from roads, footpaths and the fringes of the Northumberland countryside that draws visitors for its landscape and dark skies. A grid connection would run to Fourstones substation, some distance to the south.
Read why we believe this is the wrong scale in the wrong place →