Triton Knoll to use 9.5-MW MHI Vestas turbines

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind has been selected as the preferred supplier to provide its 9.5-MW turbines for the 860-MW Triton Knoll offshore wind farm in the UK.

The project, a 50/50 joint venture between Germany's Innogy SE (ETR:IGY) and Norway's Statkraft, secured a contract for difference (CfD) in the UK government's auction last week.

Located off the coast of eastern England, the wind park will use 90 units of MHI Vestas' V164-9.5 MW turbines, the project company said today. MHI Vestas, a 50/50 joint venture between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (TYO:7011) and Vestas Wind Systems A/S (CPH:VWS), unveiled the 9.5-MW machine, currently the biggest on the market, in June this year. Triton Knoll will be one of the first offshore wind farms to use it.

"We achieved a successful result at the CfD auction, thanks to a business case that was designed through collaboration with the supply chain and which puts cost reduction, low cost generation and UK content at the forefront of our project," said Triton Knoll project director James Cotter.

The developers target at least 50% UK content over the lifetime of the project, and MHI Vestas, which has a blade factory on the Isle of Wight, will help to achieve that goal.

A financial investment decision on the project is expected to be made in 2018. Full onshore construction will be begin shortly thereafter, with offshore work to commence in 2020. The wind power plant could produce first power as early as mid-2021, according to the statement.

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