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Guidelines for taking into account the defence forces' activities in wind power construction

According to Section 24 of the Land Use and Construction Act (Maankäyttö- ja rakennuslaki 132/1999), any land use planning must consider national land use objectives in such a way as to promote their implementation.  The operational objectives of the national regions, which entered into force on 1 April 2018, shall consider the needs of overall security in society, in particular the needs of national defence and border control, and appropriate regional development conditions and ensuring operational opportunities for them.

According to Section 4a of the Land Use and Construction Act, land use planning must safeguard the development needs required for national defence, border management and border control, civil protection and security of supply and ensure that the operational capacity of those responsible is not undermined.

According to Section 9(1) of the Land Use and Construction Act, the plan must be based on planning that assesses the significant effects of the plan, as well as on the plans and studies and investigations it requires. When determining the effects of a model, the function and purpose of the model are considered.

According to Section 9(3) of the Land Use and Construction Act, the environmental impact of the project can be assessed instead of in connection with the procedure in Chapter 3. The Environmental Impact Assessment Act (Laki ympäristövaikutusten arviointimenettelystä) provides for an environmental impact assessment procedure (252/2017).

According to Section 33(1) of the Land Use and Construction Act, a restriction on construction in the area designated as a recreational and protection area applies in the regional plan, in an area designated for the Defence Forces or border guard and in an area intended for transport or technical maintenance networks or areas. In the plan, the area of the building restriction can be expanded or reduced by a specific provision.

The most significant and extensive impact caused by wind turbines is the sensor systems used by the Finnish Defence Forces' territorial monitoring systems. This could have significant consequences for the Defence Forces' statutory territorial surveillance under Act 551/2007 on the Finnish Defence Forces (Laki puolustusvoimista), the Territorial Surveillance Act 755/2000 (Aluevalvontalaki) and the Aviation Act 1194/2009 (Ilmailulaki). Special law 490/2013 on the compensation area in the Gulf of Bothnia (Laki Perämeren kompensaatioalueesta).

The Finnish Defence Forces' statements on wind power

The Finnish Defence Forces make statements about the sensor effects of wind power projects both in connection with zoning and separately. In some cases, an opinion on the environmental impact assessment procedure is also necessary.

Statements on the land use and environmental impact assessment procedure on sensor impact are made by the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Regiments and the Defence Command Finland, Operations Department.

This document provides instructions on how to request an opinion on sensor effects at an early stage in the design of a wind power project.

In connection with the projects, the Finnish Defence Forces will make their own separate statements about the need to investigate the impact of regional control on sensors and on the acceptance of wind power projects from the Finnish Defence Forces' point of view on request. If necessary, the project shall undergo a negative reaction calculation of sensor effects at VTT. The Defence Command (Operations Department) assesses the need for a more detailed study after receiving the necessary more detailed information (maximum total height of wind turbines, coordinates and number of sites) about the planned wind turbines. The wind power operator or the zoning authority is responsible for determining the impact on the regional control's sensors. If a study of VTT's impact is required, it must be done no later than in the detailed plan.

For wind turbines over 50 meters (total height above ground), a separate report must always be requested from the Defence Command throughout the municipality.

Small wind turbines that are less than 50 meters (total height above the ground) must also be consulted according to the Defence Command’s opinion if the property on which the power plant is to be built is limited to the area that the Defence Forces will use.

In connection with detailed planning work, statements shall be requested not only from the Finnish Defence Forces but also from Suomen Erillisverkot Oy, at [email protected]  (public) and https://turvaposti.erillisverkot.fi  (confidential).

Considering the location of wind turbines

- at least 40 km from the radar
- can be significantly more depending on height differences and direction
- at least 4 km from the border to the area used by the Defence Forces
- at least 12 km from the centre of the runway at reserve landing sites

About the request for an opinion

Coordinates of power plants as excel table (ETRS-TM 35/FIN)
- N 7 digits, E 6 digits (no decimal places)
- e.g. N 6901520 E 311796

Completed PDF form (referral) not protected
- allow data to be copied for the purpose of issuing an opinion,

Suomen Erillisverkot Oy (STUVE) request at the same time as you send the request to us, registrar's office ([email protected])
         
Notification of cancelled project
- Giving way to new projects.

Questions to [email protected] , not to the Registry Office
- the actual request for observations to the Registry Office.

The counties make and plan suitable areas for wind power construction in the regional plans.
However, all wind power projects should always be asked for the opinion of the Defence Command, regardless of whether the project is located within the municipal wind power area or elsewhere in the municipality.
The height, number and exact coordinates of the power plants are not known until the wind power operator has requested an opinion from the Defence Command.

Changes in the wind power project

If the height of the wind turbines to be realised increases by more than 10 metres, the number of power plants increases or the location deviates by more than 100 metres from the information used by the Defence Forces (The Defence Command’s Operations Department) to give an opinion on the final acceptance of the project, the project operator shall apply to the Defence Command for a new opinion on acceptance. 
By obtaining an early stage of the planning process at an early stage of the planning process, you can ensure that the project is successful in future administrative procedures in terms of adequately determining the impact on the Defence Forces. 
Even in cases where the changes are smaller than those proposed above, the Operational Department of the Defence Command should be informed of the changes so that the Operations Department of the Defence Command is aware of the correct coordinates. There is no need for a new opinion on the transfer of less than 100 metres, with the exception of projects assessed by VTT.

Follow-up work

When digging and building work, the Defence Forces' cable lines, which can run in and around the area, must be taken into account. The location of the lines must be known at least 10 working days before the start of construction work.
The Cable Drawings of the Finnish Defence Forces shall be ordered from Johtotieto Oy. Johtotieto Oy assists diggers and builders.

Contact for Cable Drawings:

Johtotieto Oy
Seutulantie 3-5 B
04410 Järvenpää
Tel  0800 12600
[email protected] 
https://johtotietopankki.fi 

A statement on cable requests must also be requested from Suomen Erillisverkot Oy's customer service ([email protected])

When transferring existing cable lines which may result from the introduction of power plants, the protection of cables under construction or other modifications, the costs shall be allocated to the operator causing the change.

Liaison persons

Requests for opinions on wind power projects (see section 2 of this guide) are requested to be sent to the Defence Command Finland, [email protected]  or the Defence Command, P.C. 919, FI-00131 Helsinki, Finland. In the Defence Command, wind power matters are handled by the Operations Department of Defence Command. Additional information/requests (no requests for comment) to: [email protected]

Forms for statement requests (Finnish, Swedish and English):

Requests for opinions and invitations to negotiations on the land use plan and the environmental impact assessment procedure shall be sent by e-mail:

[email protected] or 1. Logistics Regiment, The Staff (1LOGRE), PB 1080, 45101 Kouvola, or

[email protected] tai 2. Logistics Regiment, The Staff (2LOGRE), PB 1000, 20811 TURKU, or

[email protected] tai 3. Logistics Regiment, The Staff (3LOGRE), PB 14, 41161 TIKKAKOSKI

 

Year Approved (number) Cancelled (number) In total (number) Approval rate Cancellation rate
2011 324 64 388 83 17
2012 1297 94 1391 93 7
2013 1576 196 1772 89 11
2014 1944 278 2222 87 13
2015 1362 82 1444 94 6
2016 386 148 534 72 28
2017 167 69 236 71 29
2018 191 15 206 93 7
2019 1092 212 1304 84 16
2020 2449 429 2878 85 15
2021 3743 542 4285 87 13
2022 6206 4237 10443 59 41
In total 20 737 6366 27 103 83,1 16,9
Statistics on the wind power statement procedure (Reference: Defence Command Finland, updated 23.1.2023)

Approved projects 2011-31.12.2022

 
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