Vestas has secured an engineering, procurement and construction contract with New Zealand energy company Mercury to build the first 119MW phase of the Turitea wind farm located near Palmerston North.
The deal also is includes a 25-year service and maintenance agreement for the $NZ256m (€155m) project, which will feature 33 V112 turbines optimised to 3.6MW.
Hub heights will be 69 metres, specially-designed for the site, Vestas said.
Mercury has contracted Electrix and Transpower for the design and construction of the wind farm’s 220kV transmission line and grid connection to Linton.
Construction is planned to start in August, with funding for Turitea coming from existing debt facilities, Mercury said.
Turbine commissioning is scheduled to get underway in the second half of next year.
Turitea will generate 470 gigawatt-hours of electricity a year when it becomes operational in late 2020.
Mercury has consent to develop an up to 60-turbine wind farm and transmission and other infrastructure will be scaled to support the development of a further 27 turbines at a later date, the company said.
Mercury chief executive Fraser Whineray said current market conditions indicate that new renewable energy capacity is required for New Zealand.
He added that Mercury is pleased to step forward with a wind farm development it has been working towards for 15 years.
He said: “With this announcement, Mercury has realised the ‘awesome foursome’ of renewables – hydro, geothermal, solar and wind – that enhance our contribution to New Zealand’s green energy future.
“The Turitea wind farm will contribute to New Zealand’s sustainable, low emissions future, as well as to our country’s energy freedom by making more renewable, kiwi-made electricity available for homes, businesses and vehicles around the country.
“The development of renewable energy projects in provincial New Zealand also helps to support local economies through more jobs and spending.
“And, when we break ground for this in a matter of months, it further establishes the Manawatu as New Zealand’s hub for wind energy production. It’s one of the best locations in the world.
“Mercury acknowledges and thanks local councils, landowners and iwi for their engagement through the process of getting to this milestone, and we look forward to working with them and other stakeholders during the construction activity to follow.”