OCCUPATION OF PROTECTED AREAS
Itemised by facility and types of space
The areas where Iberdrola operates are also home to numerous wild animals and plants, some of which are officially protected.
Knowing in which protected areas and places rich in biodiversity the group operates is key to correct managements of its activities, analysing their potential impact to adopt mitigation measures or implement restoration and conservation projects.
Iberdrola's commitment to the protection and conservation of these areas follows the principles set out in its Biodiversity Policy, through its environmental management systems, action plans and monitoring of habitats restored and/or compensated following the positive conservation management principle.
SPAIN
The presence of reservoirs in protected spaces is 63% of the total space occupied by reservoirs. Within biosphere reserves, national parks, Ramsar wetlands and natural parks, these reservoirs take up 1.15% of the surface area of these protected areas.
The Cofrentes Nuclear Plant is located within the Natura 2000 Network. The protected areas are the SCI: Muela de Cortés and the Caroig, and the SPA: Sierra de Martés - Muela de Cortés.
In the case of wind farms, only 8% of our wind farms are in protected nature areas, mainly in the Natura 2000 Network occupying just 0.000016% of the Network total.
Reservoirs in protected spaces [PDF]
UNITED KINGDOM
ScottishPower does not have onshore wind farms in protected areas.
ScottishPower Renewables operates some of its 23 wind farms on the fens; a habitat included in the United Kingdom Biodiversity Action Plan for priority species and in Annex 1 of the European Union habitats directive.
The Lynemouth wind farm in England is also in an area with rich biodiversity, due to its importance as a winter haven for swans and geese.
In Ireland, the Barnesmore wind farm is on the Barnesmore Bog Natural Heritage Site (CNS).
ScottishPower Renewables has committed to restoring more than 8,000 ha of fens in all wind farms, by implementing Habitat Management Plans (HMP). Approximately 580 ha of native forest (a habitat included in the United Kingdom Biodiversity Action Plan for priority species) is already being established at 17 farms.
The East Anglia ONE offshore wind farm is in a special South North Sea Special Conservation Area (SNS SAC). Approximately 200 km2 of the East Anglia One project lie within the southern part of the SNS SAC (winter component) designated to protect porpoises, which accounts for 0.5% of the total area designated for the SNS SAC. The area was formally designated in 2019 after the construction of East Anglia ONE began in 2018. The export cable corridor, the East Anglia ONE Offshore Wind Farm, crosses the Outer Thames Estuary Special Protected Area (SPA) which supports a winter population of red throat divers, which is sensitive to disturbance and displacement from the boat. The export cable corridor crosses the Bawdsey Cliffs SSSI, which is of great geological interest and has potential for studies of Pleistocene non-glacial environments. The SSSI is by far the largest site for Red Crag and is rich in marine molluscs.
List of facilities and location in relation to protected areas [PDF]
USA
Only one of the 64 onshore wind farms (2%) is located within a protected area with high biodiversity. This is the Deerfield Wind Project, which covers approximately 32 hectares within the Green Mountain National Forest in Bennington County, Vermont. Deerfield was the first wind project to be authorised and built on National Forest land. The main authorising agency is the National Forest Service.
A total of 404 km of transmission lines (3%) and 15 substations lie within protected areas with high biodiversity. These areas include New York State's Adirondack Park and Forest Reserve, New York State's Catskill Park and Forest Reserve, Letchwork Park, the United Nations' Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve, and Connecticut West Rock State Park.
Avangrid Networks also operates and maintains nine hydroelectric projects, two of which are located within New York State's Adirondack Park.
| Facility | Location with respect to the protected area | Affected Surface/Length | Degree of protection(1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | |||
| Reservoirs | Inside, or partialy inside | 30,759 ha | Biosphere reserves, Ramsar Wetlands, Natura 2000 network, national parks and Nature Parks |
| Power lines | Inside | 18,777 km | Natura 2000 network, Ramsar Wetlands, National Park, Nature Park, Biosphere Reserves |
| Substations | Inside | 135 installations | Natura 2000 network, Ramsar Wetlands, National Park, Nature Park, Biosphere Reserves |
| Transformer stations | Inside | 8,654 stations | Natura 2000 network, Ramsar Wetlands, National Park, Nature Park, Biosphere Reserves |
| Wind farms | Inside | 343 ha | Natura 2000 network, nature areas and important areas for birds and diversity |
| Nuclear power plants | Inside | 115 ha (1 plant) | Natura 2000 network |
| Adjacent | 3 plants | Natura 2000 network | |
| Thermal power plants(2) | Adjacent | 12 plants | Natura 2000 network, protected landscapes, biosphere reserves and protected marine areas |
| United Kingdom | |||
| Power lines | Inside | 3,815 km | NSA, SPA, SAC, Ramsar, NNR, SSSI |
| Substations | Inside | 414 units | NSA, SPA, SAC, Ramsar, NNR, SSSI |
| Transformer stations | Inside | 8,881 units | NSA, SPA, SAC, Ramsar, NNR, SSSI |
| Offshore wind farms | Inside | 36,700 ha | Natura 2000 network and SAC, SSSI |
| Onshore wind farms | Partially inside | 9,035 ha | SSSI |
| United States | |||
| Wind farms | Inside or near | 32 | National Forest Systems |
| Power lines | Partially inside | 404 km | Protected areas designated by each federal state, which may be Biosphere Reserves, forests, national parks, national fauna refuges and those which are not covered by such protection but nevertheless have high ecological value |
| Substations | Inside | 15 | Protected areas designated by each federal state, which may be Biosphere Reserves, forests, national parks, national fauna refuges and those which are not covered by such protection but nevertheless have high ecological value |
| Hydraulic Power Stations | 2 | Protected areas designated by the State of New York like the Adirondack Park | |
| Brazil | |||
| Power lines | Inside | 27,199 Km | Areas of environmental protection |
| Substations | Inside | 96 installations | Areas of environmental protection |
| Transformer stations | Inside | 4,388 stations | Areas of environmental protection |
| Hydroelectric power plants | Adjacent | Private Natural Park Reserve (RPPN), Biosphere Reserve declared by UNESCO, important areas for birdlife and biodiversity (IBA), High biodiversity Wild areas (HBWA), Wildlife Refuge (Revis), Sustainable Development Reserve (SDR) | |
| Mexico | |||
| Generation plant | Adjacent | 1 Production centre | Areas of environmental protection |
| Wind farms | Adjacent | 1 wind farm | Regional Ecological Park |
| Greece | |||
| Wind farms and photovoltaic plants | Partially inside | 129 ha | Natura 2000 network |
| Hungary | |||
| Wind farms | Near | 6 wind farms | Close to areas of the Natura 2000 network, one included within a National Park |
| Portugal | |||
| Wind farms | Inside or near | 0.12 wind farm | Natura 2000 network area, and a National Park |
| Romania | |||
| Wind farms | Adjacent | 1 wind farm | Natura 2000 network |
| Germany | |||
| Marine wind farms | Adjacent | 1 wind farm | Special Protection Marine Area |
(1) Designations of the main protected areas:
SPA: Special Protection Area for Birds, according to the EC Birds Directive.
SCI: Site of Community Importance, according to the EC Habitats Directive.
SAC: Special Area of Conservation, according to the EC Habitats Directive.
Ramsar: Wetlands of international importance, according to the Convention signed in Ramsar.
SSSI: Site of special scientific interest (UK designation).
NSA: National scenic areas (UK).
NNR: National nature reserve (UK).
(2) Combined cycle, cogeneration, and coal-fired plants.
Iberdrola identifies endangered species included in the UICN Red List and the national and regional lists for the areas in which it operates through its environmental management systems and/or observation programs.