Senvion wins 172 megawatts order for Portuguese wind farms

Senvion SE, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Suzlon Group, the world’s fifth-largest wind turbine manufacturer, has concluded a turnkey contract with Âncora Wind – Energia Eólica, S.A. for the delivery and installation of 84 wind turbines with a total rated power of 171.6 megawatts (MW) for five wind farms in Portugal. Project sponsors are Galp Energia SGPS, S.A., Martifer SGPS. S.A. and Ferrostaal GmbH. The project is called Âncora and forms part of a tender from the Portuguese government for a total of 400 MW from 2006.

• Moimenta I and II wind farms each will have 21 Senvion MM92 turbines. Each turbine has a rated power of 2.05 MW, a hub height of 100 metres and a rotor diameter of 92.5 metres.
• 11 Senvion MM92 turbines, each one with a rated power of 2.05 MW, a hub height of 80 metres and a rotor diameter of 92.5 metres, will be installed in the Picos Vale do Chão wind farm.
• 19 Senvion MM92 turbines, each one with a rated power of 2.05 MW, a hub height of 80 metres and a rotor diameter of 92.5 metres, will be installed in the Três Marcos wind farm.
• 12 Senvion MM100 turbines, each one with a rated power of 2 MW, a hub height of 100 metres and a rotor diameter of 100 metres, are destined for the Sernancelhe wind farm.

Construction of the Moimenta I and II and the Picos Vale do Chão wind farms is scheduled to start in early 2015. Construction of the Sernancelhe and Três Marcos wind farms will then start in spring and summer of 2015. Installation of the turbines will start in summer 2015. Senvion also signed 20 years full service contracts for the maintenance of the wind farms.

Olivier Perot, Managing Director of Senvion South West Europe, who led the negotiations, says: “We are delighted by this major success! We have made major industrial investments in Portugal since 2008, with the creation of a blade manufacturing site in Vagos and a nacelle assembly site in Oliveira de Frades. The Âncora project is a result of this whole tender programme. It will also cover the local sourcing of towers, electrical components, civil works and electrical works.”

José Costa, Managing Director of Senvion Portugal S.A. adds: “Portugal is one of our most important production sites. We are currently employing more than 600 people and plan to double this figure by 2015. We already produce rotor blades and nacelle for the Senvion MM92 bestseller series as well as the rotor blades of the Senvion 3.XM series. The 20 years’ full service contract demonstrates the quality of our turbines and sets a new market standard. Furthermore, it shows the very long term commitment of Senvion to the Portuguese wind market.”