Whitelee Wind Farm, the largest onshore wind site in the United Kingdom, is set for a 1.5 billion pound overhaul that would nearly double its generating capacity. ScottishPower, the Iberdrola SA subsidiary that owns and operates the site, has unveiled plans to replace the farm’s aging turbines with a smaller fleet of taller, more powerful machines as part of a so called repowering programme. The proposal would cut the turbine count from 215 to 124 while raising each structure to around 250 metres, roughly the height of London’s Canary Wharf tower. Despite the reduction in turbine numbers, installed capacity would climb from 539 megawatts to 1 gigawatt, enough to supply the equivalent of 650,000 homes, about 300,000 more than the site currently powers. Whitelee spans Eaglesham Moor across East Renfrewshire, East Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire and has operated since 2008, growing through two extension phases into one of Europe’s best known onshore wind installations and a popular destination for walkers and cyclists. The repowering forms part of ScottishPower’s wider 24 billion pound investment programme across the UK through 2028, aimed at accelerating the country’s shift toward domestically produced renewable power. Rather than developing new land, the company is choosing to renew existing infrastructure that is approaching the end of its operational lifespan, a model it hopes will become a template for other ageing wind farms across Britain.

Scotland’s Grid Buildout Backs Whitelee Wind Farm Expansion

Whitelee’s repowering lands at a moment when Scotland’s wider energy infrastructure is racing to keep pace with renewable generation. More power on the grid only matters if the network can carry it south to demand centres in England, which is exactly the gap that Eastern Green Link 2 was built to close. Construction Review Online reported in 2024 that Ofgem had provisionally approved a 3.4 billion pound funding package for the Scotland to Yorkshire electricity superhighway, a 505 kilometre subsea and underground cable designed to move offshore and onshore wind power to where it is needed. That project has since progressed substantially: construction began in September 2024, and by July 2026 the link had entered its major construction phase, with landfall drilling underway in Scotland and marine surveys advancing along the offshore route ahead of a targeted 2029 completion. Grid capacity of this kind reduces the compensation payments generators receive when they are forced to curtail output during high wind periods, a persistent problem for large onshore sites like Whitelee. Taken together, the two projects illustrate how Scotland’s onshore wind boom and its transmission buildout are increasingly interdependent, with one investment only paying off fully once the other is in place.

Whitelee Wind Farm Timeline and What Comes Next

ScottishPower has submitted its repowering proposals to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit, with a formal planning application expected in December 2027. If consented, construction would proceed in phases so that public access to the site and its visitor centre can be maintained throughout, a commitment the company has made given Whitelee’s popularity as a recreational destination. Should approval follow the expected timeline, the upgraded wind farm is projected to enter operation by 2035. ScottishPower Renewables chief executive Charlie Jordan has framed the project as a chance to set a repowering standard for the industry, unlocking additional output from a site whose original turbines are nearing retirement rather than developing greenfield land. Open questions remain around the length of the planning process and the supply chain for the larger turbine models, both of which could influence the final delivery date. The company says the redevelopment will support hundreds of jobs during construction, adding to the economic case alongside the climate benefits of nearly doubling clean generation at an already proven site.

Project Fact Sheet

• Project Name: Whitelee Wind Farm Repowering
• Location: Eaglesham Moor, spanning East Renfrewshire, East Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire, Scotland
• Project Value: 1.5 billion pounds, around 2 billion dollars, part of ScottishPower’s wider 24 billion pound UK investment programme through 2028
• Client/Owner: ScottishPower, a subsidiary of Iberdrola SA
• Key Components: Replacement of 215 existing turbines with 124 turbines around 250 metres tall, raising capacity from 539 megawatts to 1 gigawatt
• Procurement Model: Repowering of an existing site, financed directly by ScottishPower
• Construction Start: Formal planning application expected December 2027, pending current pre application review
• Expected Completion: Targeted for 2035, subject to planning approval
• Jobs Created: Hundreds of jobs expected during construction, according to ScottishPower
• Environmental/Social Features: Phased construction to maintain public access, site partly restored from former commercial forestry to open moorland habitat
• Strategic Impact: Would nearly double clean power output to the equivalent of 650,000 homes, reinforcing Scotland’s role in UK grid decarbonisation

Project Team

• Client/Owner: ScottishPower
• Parent Company: Iberdrola SA
• Developer: ScottishPower Renewables
• Regulatory Body: Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit
• Main Contractor: Not yet disclosed

Frequently Asked Questions

How much will the Whitelee Wind Farm repowering cost? ScottishPower has proposed investing 1.5 billion pounds, around 2 billion dollars, to repower the site.

When will the Whitelee Wind Farm repowering be complete? If approved, the upgraded wind farm is expected to enter operation by 2035.

How many turbines will Whitelee Wind Farm have after repowering? The plan would reduce the turbine count from 215 to 124, with each new turbine standing around 250 metres tall.

Who owns Whitelee Wind Farm? Whitelee is owned and operated by ScottishPower, a subsidiary of the Spanish energy group Iberdrola SA.

Where is Whitelee Wind Farm located? The site sits on Eaglesham Moor, spanning East Renfrewshire, East Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire in Scotland.