Rheidol start

PowerGen -- one of Britain's largest generating companies -- has at last started work on installation of eight 300 kW Bonus Combi wind turbines on its site at Rheidol. The project has a NFFO-3 power purchase contract and secured planning permission four years ago. The delay was because the site is common land and required additional consent from the Secretary of State for Wales, explains Chris Morris from PowerGen. "We had conflicting legal advice over the situation and we eventually sought clarification from the Welsh Office," he says. After applying in November 1995 for the Welsh Secretary's consent, the company had to wait until August before it was given the final go-ahead.