Largest offshore windfarm to be dismantled for repairs

RANDERS, Denmark, 2004-07-21 (Refocus Weekly)

All the turbines installed at the world’s first large offshore windfarm will be dismantled to fix a series of problems.

Vestas Wind Systems has experienced “a series of problems” with the operation of the Horns Reef facility, located 15 km off the west coast of Denmark in the North Sea. The 160 MW facility was erected during 2002, using 80 Vestas turbines of 2 MW capacity, plus one test nacelle situated onshore in Tjaereborg near the city of Esbjerg.

“Experience is expensive, but also precious,” says Svend Sigaard, president and CEO of Vestas. “Being the first large offshore project, Horns Reef must be a success.”

“The project is important for Vestas’ continued leadership in the offshore segment; it is my belief that Vestas will win the market in this segment,” he adds. “Even though it has been at a high premium, it puts Vestas and our suppliers into a unique position.”

The offshore environment at Horns Reef is harsh and rough weather conditions in the North Sea prompted Vestas and ABB, with agreement from the Danish utility Elsam, to transport the nacelles and the blades onshore to the Vestas’ facility in Ringkøbing.

“To ensure that the future operation of the Horns Reef project will be satisfactory to the customer as well as to Vestas, the work of improving the operation of Horns Reef will have Vestas’ utmost attention,” says Sigaard. Work is expected to be completed by this autumn.

Vestas also installed the 60 MW North Hoyle offshore windfarm which was commissioned last July off the north coast of Wales. That facility uses 30 of the same 2 MW turbines.

Vestas will also deliver 150 MW of turbines to two other offshore British windfarms, the Scroby Sands facility off Great Yamouth in Norfolk on the east cost and the Kentish Flats off Kent.


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