Vestas receives 165 MW offshore order in Belgium
Vestas has received an order for an offshore wind power plant with a total
capacity of 165 MW. The wind power plant, Bligh Bank Offshore Wind Farm,
consists of 55 units of the V90-3.0 MW wind turbine and will be located 46 km
off the coast of Zeebrugge, situated in the zone dedicated by the Belgian
Government for the construction of wind farms.
The order has been placed by Belwind N.V. owned by a consortium of Belgian and
Dutch investors. The order comprises design, delivery, installation, testing and
commissioning of the 55 wind turbines as well as a five-year service and
availability agreement. Dutch contractor Van Oord Dredging and Marine
Contractors bv are responsible for engineering, procurement and construction.
“We are proud to be supplying turbines for the Bligh Bank Offshore Wind Farm.
Furthermore, we are very pleased to see this group of investors showing their
confidence in the potential of offshore wind and we look forward to securing
them a successful implementation of the project,” states Anders Søe-Jensen,
President of Vestas Offshore, and he continues to elaborate on Vestas'
determination to remain strong in offshore wind: “Vestas is a leading, global
player in the wind market and we have been driving the offshore wind industry
from the very beginning. Being in the offshore market requires some very
specific knowledge and skills - both of which Vestas possesses - and the Bligh
Bank Offshore Wind Farm order truly shows Vestas' dedication and commitment to
remain strongly focused on this market.”
Delivery and installation of the turbines, including full power production is
expected to take place during 2010 whereas final completion of the offshore wind
farm is expected in early 2011.
Frank Coenen of Belwind N.V. states: “This 165 MW wind farm is the first phase
of the 330 MW Belwind project. We look forward to working together with Vestas
and Van Oord on the construction of the project which is a major step forward in
realising the Belgian renewable energy targets. We are proud of our investors
and banks, who enabled us to realise this investment in difficult financial
times.”
The project is financed on a non-recourse basis. This is the first offshore
transaction to be project financed since the financial crisis started. This was
made possible due to credit risk guarantees provided by Eksport Kredit Fonden
(EKF), the Danish Export Credit Agency and financing provided by the European
Investment Bank (EIB). Furthermore, a package of structured credit facilities
has been provided by ASN Bank, Dexia Bank Belgium, Dexia Crédit Local and
Rabobank International.
The above order does not affect Vestas' expectations for 2009 cf. Company
announcement No. 9/2009 of 28 April 2009.
Contact details:
Vestas Offshore, Denmark
Anders Søe-Jensen,President
Telephone +45 9730 5200
Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Denmark
Peter Kruse, Senior Vice President, Group Communications
Telephone +45 9730 0000
