A little over three years after commencing construction, SSE Renewables announced the placement of the final turbine at the upcoming Viking Wind Farm in Shetland.
Once finished, this 443MW wind farm is set to become the UK’s most efficient onshore wind facility.
SSE Renewables said that the technicians operating at the Viking site on the Shetland Islands achieved the milestone by successfully installing the 103rd and final Vestas V117 4.3MW wind turbine in the northeast sector of the wind farm.
The turbine installation process began in February 2023, and in a span of just over six months, the team placed all 103 turbines at the site.
The final turbine installation was accomplished well ahead of the initial schedule, as the original plan anticipated completion in autumn 2023.
The project remains firmly on course for its anticipated completion in summer 2024, with ongoing commissioning efforts expected over the next year. Upon achieving full operational status, the 103 Vestas turbines at Viking will operate at a 4.3MW power capacity, constituting a total installed wind-powered capacity of 443MW. This capacity has the potential to generate up to 1.8TWh of renewable electricity annually, equivalent to powering nearly half a million typical British households.
Consequently, the Viking Wind Farm will establish itself as the most productive onshore wind facility in the UK in terms of yearly electricity output once it reaches completion.
The successful installation of the final wind turbine marks yet another significant achievement within the Viking Wind Farm project. This accomplishment comes on the heels of completing the turbine component delivery campaign, during which more than 280 convoys transported over 1,000 turbine components to the remote site over a span of six months.
SSE Renewables Onshore Renewables Development and Construction Director Heather Donald said: “We’re reaching the point in the Viking Wind Farm project where we are celebrating key milestones which just shows the good progress we are making. The weather in Shetland has been challenging at times so achieving the installation of the final turbine ahead of schedule is testament to the hard work and commitment of those involved.”
