A total of 35 new turbines have been added to the original 20 which have been generating renewable electricity since 2000.
Almost 1,000 workers and support staff were inducted on the windfarm over an 16 month period, with a peak monthly workforce of over 165 personnel. The site will now also contribute approximately £3.7 million in total to East Ayrshire Council and New Cumnock Community Council for the benefit of local community projects over the next 25 years.
The new turbines are capable of generating up to 30MW of green electricity, taking the full site up to a capacity of 43MW.
Hare Hill Extension is part of a two-year £650 million investment plan by ScottishPower Renewables to build 8 new onshore windfarms in Scotland, which will deliver nearly 500MW of new renewable electricity for the national grid.
Kenny Peberdy, Onshore Director for ScottishPower Renewables, said: “Hare Hill was amongst the earliest commercial windfarms in Scotland, and the site has been making an important contribution to Scotland’s green energy goals for nearly two decades now. It is well located with good wind speeds and access to the grid, which made it an ideal site for an extension.
“As well as generating green electricity for homes and businesses, the project will also invest millions of pounds to support local initiatives over the next two decades, and we hope that many people from the communities near to the windfarm will benefit from this funding.
"Beyond our current £650 million investment programme, we plan to continue scoping and developing new sites, as we believe that onshore wind remains a critical component of any future energy mix that seeks to reduce both emissions and costs for consumers."
