MHI Vestas Offshore Wind will supply 100 turbines for the 950-megawatt (MW) Moray East offshore wind farm in waters off the northeast coast of Scotland.
Under the contract, MHI Vestas will deliver one hundred of its V164-9.5 MW offshore wind turbines for the project in the Moray Firth. The order includes a 15-year service agreement, MHI Vestas said. This is the company’s largest ever MW project.
Moray Offshore Windfarm (East) Limited, known as Moray East, is a 950 MW offshore wind project 22km from the coast of Scotland, which in 2017 won a Contract for Difference (CfD) from the UK Government to supply electricity at £57.50/MWhr, representing a significant cost reduction compared with similar projects under construction today (typically £140/MWhr).
Project Director for Moray East, Oscar Diaz, said, “Moray East is a landmark project for the offshore wind industry, delivering sustainable, renewable generation at a highly competitive power price. The project will bring new opportunities to areas including Fraserburgh, where we have announced the windfarm’s operations and maintenance base will be located, and in the Cromarty Firth, where the port was last week selected as the pre-assembly port”.
“We look forward to working with MHI Vestas, particularly in Fraserburgh and in Invergordon, where we have ongoing plans for local supply chain engagement.”
MHI Vestas Offshore Wind CEO, Philippe Kavafyan, said, “We are pleased that Moray East has reached financial close. With the signing of the firm order, we can accelerate preparations for our company’s largest MW project to date. Installing the world’s most powerful commercial turbine, the V164-9.5 MW, in Moray Firth means more local, clean energy jobs in Scotland and across the UK, including our most recent expansion of blade production on the Isle of Wight”.
In May, Moray East announced Fraserburgh as the preferred Operations and Maintenance port for the project and only last week, the Port of Cromarty Firth was selected as the pre-assembly harbour, sending a strong signal that the project is progressing on schedule.