Said to be the first-of-its kind offshore wind farm being built in the UK waters this year, the project is located on the southern side of the Outer Thames Estuary. It covers an area of approximately 7.8km², and will feature 15 turbines.
The 70m-long steel towers are installed onto the foundation with nacelle generator placed on top followed by the hub, which features three 55m blades, the company said.
Vattenfall project director Matthew Green said: "One up, 14 to go. Vattenfall is making good progress on Kentish Flats Extension in this period of calm weather.
"Big cranes, big boats, skilled technicians precisely slotting-in very heavy weights, 351 tons in total – all done with safety top priority. Engineering doesn’t get more challenging than this."
The extended power plant is expected to be commissioned later this year. It will produce up to 173,000MWh of clean electricity a year, to serve around 35,000 UK households.
Vattenfall expects the project to strengthen its position in global offshore wind segment. The company has so far installed 1GW offshore wind projects in European waters, and plans to add a significant capacity in the near future.
In 2010, the Crown Estate selected Vattenfall to extend the 30-turbine Kentish Flats wind farm, around 13km north of Herne Bay and Whitstable in Kent.
