Vattenfall has kicked off decommissioning at the 10MW Yttre Stengrund offshore wind farm in the southern Kalmarsund off Sweden.
Work to remove five NEG Micon 2MW turbines will run through 1 January and is being tackled by Malmo contractor Svensk Sjöentreprenad (pictured on the job).
Vattenfall said the 15-year-old turbines at Yttre Stengrund are an “obsolete model” and not commercially viable to upgrade.
The final unit was shut down last year following a series of issues including gearbox failures. “In total, only around 50 of these turbines were manufactured and spare parts and no longer available,” said Vattenfall.
The utility will dismantle the turbines and remove offshore cables. Foundations will also be cut off level with the sea bed. The majority of the wind turbines, foundations and cables will be sold or recycled as scrap.
Yttre Stengrund was originally due to be dismantled last year, which would have made it the world’s first offshore wind decommissioning. Eon has since beaten the Swedes to the punch by removing two Vestas V90 turbines at its Robin Rigg wind farm off Scotland.
Image: Vattenfall
