Wind turbines and solar farm form £8m. Sark power plan

Chief Pleas will be asked to approve the initial design work when it meets on 17 January.

Before then there will be a presentation to islanders in the Island Hall this Wednesday.

The island's Policy & Finance Committee has chosen Infinite Renewables Ltd, in partnership with Sancus Utilities, for the project, after it was shortlisted from an initial seven applicant firms.

A total of £50,000 had already been spent, said P&F in its policy letter, and an additional £175,000 being requested will enable the full design works to be undertaken. These funds will come from the island’s general reserve and ‘will be factored into any borrowing needed for the project build and paid back into reserves at a future date,’ it said.

Funding for the overall project will be recovered through the future price of electricity.

In its summary of the bid from IRL/Sancus, P&F said that the company had experience of projects of a similar scale ‘and seem committed to the task’.

If Chief Pleas approves, the company would act as a single lead design and build contractor and work with a consortium of small and medium-sized businesses as sub-contractors.

Among these is Netherlands-based company Business In Wind, while Sancus would be involved in the distribution system.

The initial estimate for the total cost of the project is £8.6m., which will include costs for the design works, finance raising, project management and other development charges.

Design works are expected to take about 18 weeks, starting in February.

Talks have taken place with Ravenscroft and the States of Guernsey, with the former said to be happy to assist with a Channel Islands community bond raise, and the States possibly providing a loan or a loan guarantee.

‘There is still significant uncertainty in the build costs,’ said the report.

‘We need to complete the design phase before progressing the finance strategy and further discussions with funders.’

P&F chairman John Guille said this was a ‘crucial and exciting decision for Sark to make.’

‘We have to move forward from the current age-expired infrastructure and we have an exciting opportunity to safeguard the island’s future with a renewable solution.’