Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of possible offshore wind power areas in the exclusive economic zone begins – Comments accepted until 4 July
The assessment plan of Strategic environmental assessment of authorities' plans and programmes (SEA) concerning potential offshore wind farms in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) has been circulated for comments. The assessment is based on the Act on the Assessment of the Effects of Certain Plans and Programmes on the Environment. The national consultation of the assessment is carried out in the Lausuntopalvelu.fi service.
The process of the strategic environmental assessment of plans and programmes involves two rounds of consultation. The current phase focuses on planning the environmental assessment and preparing the environmental report. A hearing on the environmental report will be held in autumn 2025 and an international hearing will be organised as part of the SEA process.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has commissioned the SEA assessment from Sweco Finland Oy. The steering group on the assessment also includes representatives from the Ministry of the Environment.
Assessment concerns the draft government decision on offshore wind power areas in the EEZ
The SEA assessment relates to the draft decision currently under preparation by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, which will define one or more areas in Finland’s exclusive economic zone for offshore wind power use. The Government may also decide on the timetable for the tendering process for the right to use the areas. However, the Government can only make an actual decision on offshore wind areas in the exclusive economic zone after the SEA assessment has been completed.
Two of the areas in the draft decision are located in the Bothnian Sea (West 211 km2, and East 202 km2) and two in the Bothnian Bay (South 284 km2, and North 224 km2). The areas South and North in the Bothnian Bay as well the area East in the Bothnian Sea border the Finnish territorial waters. Meanwhile, the area West in the Bothnian Sea is located close to the border between the exclusive economic zones of Sweden and Finland.
The SEA assessment looks at three implementation alternatives to identify different scenarios and significant impacts of the plan. Under the alternative VE1, projects would be implemented in two defined areas (Bothnian Bay North and Bothnian Sea West). Under the alternative VE2, projects would be carried out in all four areas. The alternative VE0 describes a situation where no offshore wind power investments would be carried out in the areas.
The environmental impact assessment will support sustainable implementation of offshore wind power by producing background material for the private and public operators in the sector. The assessment will identify framework conditions relating to the environment and society as a whole, within the limits of which offshore wind power projects can be implemented. The aim of the consultation is to increase the social acceptance of offshore wind power in the exclusive economic zone while providing basic information and starting points for project-specific planning for the sector.
The SEA procedure examines the environmental impacts resulting from the selection of areas at a general level. It does not replace the statutory environmental assessment (EIA) procedures of individual projects or permit processes in which environmental impacts are assessed more specifically. However, those involved in the projects can use the data of the public SEA procedure to improve the quality and acceptability of their own EIA processes.
Lausuntopalvelu.fi will be the primary channel for comments – Consultation period to end on 4 July
Comments should be submitted under the ‘request for comments’ published on the lausuntopalvelu.fi website by 4 July 2025. It is not necessary to send the comments by e-mail or post. Those submitting a comment must register and log into the lausuntopalvelu.fi service. More detailed instructions are available in Finnish or Swedish on the website at: Ohjeet > Käyttöohjeet or Anvisningar > Bruksanvisningar
If the comment cannot be submitted via the lausuntopalvelu.fi website, it can be emailed to the Registry of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment at kirjaamo.tem(at)gov.fi. All comments are public. The register number VN/6094/2025 should be mentioned in the comment.
Inquiries:
Outi Vilén, Chief Specialist, tel. +358 295 047 016 (draft decision on offshore wind power areas)
Tuuli Oikarinen, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 047 292 (draft decision on offshore wind power areas)
Mari Saario, Director, Sweco Oy, mari.saario(at)sweco.fi (SEA environmental report)
Ulla Värre, Senior Consultant, Sweco Oy, ulla.varre(at)sweco.fi (SEA environmental report)