Norway Reindeer Herders May Force Dismantling of 151 Wind Plants
- Supreme court rules Statkraft license for wind farm is invalid
- Lawyer for plaintiff says turbines need to be knocked down
A reindeer at the Storheia wind farm.
Photographer: Heiko Junge/AFP via Getty Images
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Statkraft AS may have to tear down as many as 151 turbines at one of Europe’s biggest wind farms following a supreme court ruling in favor of Sami reindeer owners.
The ruling covers two wind farms built on traditional reindeer pastures in central Norway that the Sami people claim violates their indigenous rights. They have now won a key decision in the supreme court that leaves the operator Statkraft AS in limbo about the future of one of its biggest onshore wind power facilities.