The government has refused to release key details of a 2015 seabed lease agreement with energy giant Ørsted, citing commercial sensitivity and risk of damaging trust.
The DoI says it will not disclose the requested Agreement for Lease, signed with DONG Energy (now Ørsted) in November 2015.
The FOI request sought the original seabed coordinates, option period duration, any amendments extending Ørsted’s exclusive rights to November 30 2030 and records explaining the project’s expansion from 700 MW to 1.4 GW.
Campaign group No Offshore Turbines 4 Isle of Man said: “We the public have basically no right to know or be shown any of the details.”
The Department stated that disclosing the information “might damage trust between the govt and Orsted” and “may prejudice Orsted’s commercial interests”.