Voltalia nears completion of 99-MW wind park in Brazil, starts another

French renewable power plants operator Voltalia SA (EPA:VLTSA) has nearly completed a 99-MW wind park in Brazil and has initiated construction work on another one, it said on Tuesday.

Voltalia announced the early commissioning of 32 turbines, totalling 96 MW, out of 33 in total as part of the Vila Para wind project. The company expects to commission the last turbine very soon. The initial commissioning date was set for the fourth quarter of 2016.

Since July, the incomplete Vila Para wind park has been selling electricity on the free market at average prices above those specified in the long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs). Until those contracts take effect in November 2018, the plant will continue to sell its output there and on the spot market.

Voltalia also said it has started building the 27-MW Vila Acre wind farm, which will be equipped with Gamesa turbines. Commissioning is scheduled for the third quarter of 2017, more than a year before the 20-year offtake contract takes effect, the company said.

Both Vila Para and Vila Acre are part of the roughly 1.2-GW Serra Branca cluster of wind farms in Brazil that share common infrastructure. At present, 279 MW of capacity as part of that cluster is operational.

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