Ukraine’s largest private energy company DTEK has opened the 114MW phase 1 of the Tyligulska Wind Power Plant, just 100km from the frontline of the country’s conflict with Russia.
DTEK has invested US$200m in the construction process of phase I, which comprises 19 turbines.
The project is one of the first to deploy 6MW Enventus turbines from Danish manufacturer Vestas.
Phase II plans envisage adding up to 64 turbines to raise potential output to 500MW.
The 500MW capacity at that point, will make it Eastern Europe’s largest onshore wind farm and provide secure energy for homes and businesses in the south of Ukraine, DTEK said.
DTEK’s plans to expand Tyligulska – part of the company’s broader strategy to achieve net zero emissions by 2040 and help Ukraine become a clean energy exporter to the European Union – remain dependent on it securing an additional US$450m in funding – mostly from foreign investors and crucially from state-backed international financial institutions.
The decision to build Tyligulska WPP was taken in 2020, as part of DTEK’s strategy to expand its renewables portfolio.
The project will eventually boost DTEK’s green energy capacity from 1GW to 1.5GW.