The Air Navigation Order 2005

Lighting of wind turbine generators in United Kingdom territorial watersU.K.

134.—(1) This article shall apply to any wind turbine generator which is situated in waters within or adjacent to the United Kingdom up to the seaward limits of the territorial sea and the height of which is 60 metres or more above the level of the sea at the highest astronomical tide.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3) the person in charge of a wind turbine generator to which this article applies shall ensure that it is fitted with at least one medium intensity steady red light positioned as close as reasonably practicable to the top of the fixed structure.

(3) Where four or more wind turbine generators to which this article applies are located together in the same group, with the permission of the CAA only those on the periphery of the group need be fitted with a light in accordance with paragraph (2).

(4) The light or lights required by paragraph (2) shall, subject to paragraph (5), be so fitted as to show when displayed in all directions without interruption.

(5) When displayed—

(a)the angle of the plane of the beam of peak intensity emitted by the light shall be elevated to between 3 and 4 degrees above the horizontal plane;

(b)not more than 45% or less than 20% of the minimum peak intensity specified for a light of this type shall be visible at the horizontal plane;

(c)not more than 10% of the minimum peak intensity specified for a light of this type shall be visible at a depression of 1.5 degrees or more below the horizontal plane.

(6) The person in charge of a wind turbine generator to which this article applies shall—

(a)subject to sub-paragraph (b) ensure that by night, any light required to be fitted by this article shall be displayed;

(b)in the event of the failure of the light which is required by this article to be displayed by night, repair or replace the light as soon as is reasonably practicable.

(7) When visibility in all directions from every wind turbine generator to which this article applies in a group is more than 5 km the light intensity for any light required by this article to be fitted to any generator in the group and displayed may be reduced to not less than 10% of the minimum peak intensity specified for a light of this type.

(8) In any particular case the CAA may direct that a wind turbine generator to which this article applies shall be fitted with and shall display such additional lights in such positions and at such times as it may specify.

(9) This article shall not apply to any wind turbine generator in respect of which the CAA has granted a permission for the purposes of this article to the person in charge.

(10) A permission may be granted for the purposes of this article in respect of a particular case or class of cases or generally.

(11) In this article—

(a)wind turbine generator” is a generating station which is wholly or mainly driven by wind;

(b)the height of a wind turbine generator is the height of the fixed structure or if greater the maximum vertical extent of any blade attached to that structure; and

(c)a wind turbine generator is in the same group as another wind turbine generator if the same person is in charge of both and—

(i)it is within 2 km of that other wind turbine generator; or

(ii)it is within 2 km of a wind turbine generator which is in the same group as that other wind turbine generator.