Pen y Cymoedd team prepare for turbine deliveries21st Jul 2015

The joint venture behind Vattenfall’s Pen y Cymoedd Wind Energy Project has started preparations ahead of the first trial run to test how the site copes with the delivery of wind turbines.

The first turbine delivery trial run, which will be in the east and central east zones of England and Wales’ largest on-shore wind farm, will take place in September, and will be followed in November by the first turbine deliveries.

Infrastructure firms, Jones Bros and Balfour Beatty, who form the joint venture, have completed concrete base pours at 61 of the wind farm’s 76 turbine bases, having started work on the project in February 2014.

Current on-site activity also includes laying electrical cables and the continued upgrade and improvement of around 80km of access tracks.

Eryl Roberts, Project Manager for the joint venture, said: “It’s very busy at the moment with work under way to prepare the site for the first trial run in September.  It will be the first time any trailers will be extended to their full length so we can check the curvatures in the access roads are suitable.

“We have also completed the upgrading of the track into the western region to allow our plant to access the final of four geographical areas that the project is divided into.”

More than 50,000m³ of concrete and 6,000 tonnes of reinforcement is being used to construct the turbine bases and crane pads. The wind farm will generate enough electricity to power 140,000 homes.