Construction milestone marks installation of SSE’s first onshore wind turbine in Southern Europe
Monday 26 August: SSE is celebrating one of its most significant project milestones this week following the installation of its first onshore turbine at a wind farm construction site in Southern Europe.
Construction personnel from SSE Renewables working with installation engineers from wind turbine supplier Siemens Gamesa have overseen the safe and successful installation of the first turbine at the 28MW Chaintrix-Bierges and Vélye Wind Farm in the Grand-Est region of France.
Under its turbine supply agreement, Siemens Gamesa is supplying and installing eight SG 3.4-132 MW wind turbines at the site. Following first turbine installation, the remaining turbines are scheduled to be installed in the coming weeks.
The Chaintrix-Bierges and Vélye project is SSE’s first onshore wind farm in construction in France, and the first to enter construction outside the company’s core UK and Ireland market.
SSE Renewables is currently working through construction milestones at the project site, located in the Marne département. Last month, the project marked the completion of final turbine foundations ahead of the commencement of turbine installation.
When complete, the wind farm will be capable of generating enough low-carbon energy over its expected 30-year lifetime to power over 14,000 homes annually**.
Delivery of this wind farm represents a total capital investment of more than €30 million by SSE Renewables. This investment will help support the local economy in the Grand-Est region, with around 80 construction roles expected to be supported at peak delivery.
"This is a truly exciting milestone for the delivery of our Chaintrix-Bierges and Vélye wind farm. Safely installing our first wind turbine at this project site not only marks the completion of our first onshore wind turbine in France but also our first in Southern Europe. It is an important moment of celebration for our project construction team and our installation and contractor partners.
Delphine Henri France Director of SSE Renewables
This construction milestone once again shows how SSE Renewables is taking action to deliver the clean, homegrown energy we need to help strengthen energy security for homes and businesses across France and the EU while helping mitigate the worst impacts of climate change."