Wpd Gets Approval for First Finish Offshore Wind Farm

In what is regarded as milestone decision Finish authorities granted the water permit to Suurhiekka offshore wind farm, the first full scale offshore project of the country. The project of 80 turbines has been developed by wpd since 2007 and aims for start of construction in 2014 – depending on the government’s decision on a support mechanism.

The water permit includes the decision on the environmental acceptance and has only to be completed by a technical approval prior to start of construction. The permit was granted by the Regional State Administrative Agency of Northern Finland yesterday.

The advanced stage of the Suurhiekka project puts the question of remuneration for offshore wind in the focus of Finish energy politics. Without offshore, Finland cannot reach its national goals for 2020 and a support for offshore wind is therefore under discussion.

“During the last four years we pushed the project through the various stages. We now ask for a debate on a remuneration model for offshore wind so that we reach the final stage: Suurhiekka offshore wind farm producing energy for 300 000 Finish households!”, comments Heli Rissanen, Deputy Managing Director of wpd Finland OY.

wpd Finland Oy is part of the wpd Group which has realized more than 2000 MW onshore wind power and is developing 16 offshore wind projects around Europe. Last year wpd built Germany’s first commercial offshore wind farm Baltic I.

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Source: wpd, February 22, 2011