Offshore wind turbine manufacturer MHI Vestas announced on Thursday that it has received its largest order in company history to supply 100 of its 9.5 megawatt (MW) wind turbines to the 950 MW Moray East Offshore Wind Farm set to be built in Scotland’s Moray Firth.
Moray Offshore Renewable Power, a subsidiary of Spanish EDP Renovaveis (EDPR), announced on Thursday that it had reached financial close on the Moray Offshore Windfarm (East), known as Moray East, a 950 MW offshore wind farm set to be built in the Outer Moray Firth, 40 kilometers off the northeast coast of Scotland. The £2.6 billion ($3.32 billion) project is currently owned by a consortium including EDPR, Diamond Green Limited, and ENGIE.
Upon completion, Moray East is expected to generate electricity equivalent to the needs of 950,000 UK households and supply electricity at £57.50/MWh, which it won in a Contract for Difference auction from the UK Government, representing a significant cost reduction compared to other projects being constructed today which can cost around £140/MWh.
“Moray East marks a major milestone in the progress of the offshore wind industry,” said Moray East Board Director Dan Finch. “Not only will it deliver plentiful, sustainable, renewable power, it will do so at a highly competitive price – to the economic advantage of both the household and the country.”
“Moray East is a landmark project for the offshore wind industry, delivering sustainable, renewable generation at a highly competitive power price,” added Project Director for Moray East, Oscar Diaz. “The project will bring new opportunities to areas including Fraserburgh, where we have announced the wind farm’s operations and maintenance base will be located, and in the Cromarty Firth, where the port was last week selected as the pre-assembly port. We look forward to working with MHI Vestas, particularly in Fraserburgh and in Invergordon, where we have ongoing plans for local supply chain engagement.”
With the reaching of financial close, it was also announced that MHI Vestas — the joint venture between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Vestas Wind Systems A/S — would supply 100 of its V164-9.5 MW turbines for the project along with a 15-year service agreement.
“We are pleased that Moray East has reached financial close,” said MHI Vestas CEO, Philippe Kavafyan. “With the signing of the firm order, we can accelerate preparations for our company’s largest MW project to date. Installing the world’s most powerful commercial turbine, the V164-9.5 MW, in Moray Firth means more local, clean energy jobs in Scotland and across the UK, including our most recent expansion of blade production on the Isle of Wight.”
The project is expected to begin construction in 2019 and see operations begin in 2022.
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