SSE to ‘work with pupils’ after criticism of turbine name

An aerial view of the Viking Energy windfarm. Photo: John Coutts.

SSE has said it is “aware of local concerns” about the decision to name a turbine after the former owner of the Halfway House.

School pupils from across the isles were asked to name some of the 103 turbines, with the Viking team having the final say on which names were selected.

Anderson High School pupils chose to name turbine 11 “Lottie” after Charlotte Robertson, who lived in the iconic Halfway House from the 1950s and died in 2021.

Eight turbines were built within 2km of her home.

Anti-windfarm group Save Shetland featured her story before her death, with Ms Robertson telling them of the Viking project: “I didn’t like it at all”.

She said she had even considered moving away from the home.

Tiana Van Zyl, from Yell, wrote to The Shetland Times to say that naming a turbine after her was “essentially a way of insulting her”.

SSE has said it was aware of complaints about the decision to name a turbine after Ms Robertson.

It said it would “continue to work with the school and pupils” about the name.

The energy giant has said, in documents provided to SIC planners, that four to six names were suggested by each class.

“The Viking team chose the winning name, which were interesting and imaginative,” it added.

Plaques are expected to be installed at each turbine, detailing their names and which school picked them.

Other names selected include Muckle Magnus, Blade and James Turbond.