Wind-energy is an important part of building a more sustainable energy-system. The establishment of land-based wind-power plants requires vast land areas often affecting a number of contradictory interests. In Pitea Municipality, in northern Sweden, a large-scale wind-power plant is under planning and construction. According to the company behind it, possibly and eventually becoming one of the world's largest with 1101 turbines. The planned total area of the plant is approximately 450 km2, for the most part sparsely populated with only a few smaller villages. Within the area there are some areas of national interests such as reindeer-herding and Natura-2000. A number of reference groups consisting of villagers have been formed as free-standing complement to the statutory consultation that is prescribed by Swedish Environmental Code. Collaborative processes such as this have the potential of creating added value to the participating community and of bringing together environmental, social, cultural and economic aspects of sustainability on a local scale. However, wind-energy development represents such a strong environmental aspect that it might place a dead hand on other aspects on local development, reversing the expected casual effects of the collaborative process. This paper provides an insight into the collaboration between citizens and the industry concerning the establishment of a large-scale wind-power plant. It discusses the ifs and hows of maintaining a general view of sustainable, local development in the shadow of a dominating ecological actor.