Jones Bros secures key wind farm contract with Dutch energy giant, Eneco14th Aug 2009

North Wales civil engineering company, Jones Bros, has won a key contract with, Eneco, one of the three leading energy companies in the Netherlands.

Jones Bros will build the infrastructure for a new wind farm near Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire, which will be Eneco’s first entry into the UK renewables market.

The Tullo Wind Farm is a seven turbine project, which will have an installed capacity of 16 megawatts and is expected to be operational next year. It and will be capable of generatingsufficient electricity for up to 9,000 homes annually.

The £3.5m contract win strengthens the position of Jones Bros as one of the UK’s main balance of plant providers for wind farms. It follows on from the family-owned firm’s £19m infrastructure contract with Fred Olsen Renewables at Crystal Rig II wind farm in the Scottish borders, near Dunbar.

In 2004, Jones Bros completed work at the 39 turbine Cefn Croes wind farm, Aberystwyth, Wales, the UK’s largest at the time. It has also worked on wind farms at Carno, Mid Wales and Moelogan, North Wales.

Although the Tullo wind farm is smaller scale, it is significant because it is the first venture in Britain by Eneco Wind BV, one of the Netherlands’ biggest renewable energy suppliers, which has announced its intention to make substantial investments in sustainable energy production over coming years. With a head office in Rotterdam, it employs 5,300 people and serves two million business and domestic energy customers.

Eneco has established a UK office in Warwick, which will oversee the Tullo project. Jones Bros will work on the contract in partnership with Bristol-based Powersystems UK Ltd.

Helen Cassini, Eneco Development and Planning Manager, said: “After a competitive tender, Jones Bros have been awarded the Tullo contract and we are all delighted to be working with them on this project.

“The construction of the Tullo wind farm marks an important milestone for Eneco Wind UK Ltd as this marks the first major investment for Eneco in the UK. We all look forward to a successful association and an operational project in the summer of 2010.”

Guy Madgwick, Director, Eneco UK, said: “We at Eneco are delighted to be working with Jones Bros towards the successful completion of this project.”

Jones Bros Contracts Director, John Dielhof, said: “It is testimony to our depth of expertise in the field that Jones Bros has been selected by Eneco to provide the balance of plant for their first project in the UK.”

The contract includes construction of three kilometres of roads, new substation, installation of the turbine bases and electrical infrastructure