UK’s £1 billion Walney wind farm breaks industry records

The record-breaking £1 billion Walney wind farm off the coast of Cumbria is being officially opened by UK Energy Secretary Ed Davey today.

The development, which has seen the installation of 102 of Siemens’ 3.6 MW turbines, is a joint venture between DONG Energy, SSE and OPW.

The 367.2 MW wind farm will now provide enough power to supply up to 320,000 households.

Built in two parts, Walney 2 was constructed in the fastest ever time for an offshore wind project, with all turbines and cables installed in just five months and 13 days.

The wind farm is also the first UK project to receive investments from a pension fund service provider and an equity fund before construction – OPW is a consortium of the Dutch pension fund service provider PGGM and Ampere Equity Fund.

“Britain has a lot to be proud of in our growing offshore wind sector,” commented Davey. “And Walney is the newest, biggest and fastest-built jewel in that crown, providing clean power for hundreds of thousands of households.”

CEO of DONG Energy, Anders Eldrup, added:
“Walney is a landmark in offshore wind and DONG Energy’s strong drive to further industrialise offshore wind power and cut costs. It demonstrates our commitment to invest in the UK.”

For further information:
www.dongenergy.com/
www.sse.com

09 February 2012

Back