Brookfield Renewable has engaged Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK to deliver the 13-turbine Kennoxhead Phase 1 wind farm, a 60MW development near the village of Glespin in Scotland.
Jones Bros’ activity will include the design and construction of turbine foundations, a 24-metre bridge, the substation building and approximately 25km of trenches for cabling.
In addition, the civil engineering outfit will upgrade 14km of existing roads and build 9km of new site tracks as well as provide temporary site offices and facilities.
Kennoxhead, which is scheduled to complete in 2022, will consist of 13 Nordex 4.8MW turbines and will generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 64,000 UK homes.
Brookfield Renewable head of project delivery Eoin O’Donovan said: “Getting works underway is always a major milestone for any project and we are excited to work with Jones Bros on the construction of Kennoxhead which represents the first of Brookfield Renewable UK’s onshore wind development projects to commence construction in Scotland.”
Jones Bros, said it has already added six local plant operatives to its 30-strong Scotland team, with the contractor likely to add to this number in the coming months.
Jones Bros contracts director Garod Evans (pictured) said: “We’re really pleased to have been appointed by Brookfield Renewable UK Limited.
“This will be our 18th wind farm in Scotland as well as countless others across the rest of the UK. We have built a strong reputation in this sector.
“It’s quite a tight programme as the turbine deliveries commence in August. We begin on site in the winter months, which is always a challenging time, but our team is confident of meeting the schedule.
“As with all our projects, we will be aiming to support the local community and boost the area’s economy where possible. For example, we have already engaged a security firm and will be looking for a building contractor to deliver the substation as well as an aggregate supplier.”
Jones Bros said it would be batching its own concrete on site to reduce vehicle movements, and would also pre-cast the reinforced concrete bank seats for the new bridge structure.