Energy company SSE has announced that its 101MW Yellow River wind farm in Ireland has generated first power.
The project, in Rhode, County Offaly, was connected to the Irish national grid and energised by system operator EirGrid. SSE said the success was the result of collaboration between its engineering and technical teams, high voltage electrical engineering contractor Suir Engineering and civils contractor Farrans Construction.
The project is comprised of 29 Nordex N117/3600 wind turbines and connected via a 110kV Knockdrin substation to the existing Derryiron 110kV Transmission Station nearby.
In June, SSE Renewables installed the final wind turbine for the project. With first power now achieved, testing of turbines will take place over the coming months ahead of reaching full power and entering commercial operations, expected in early 2025.
Yellow River’s installed capacity has been contracted under a 16.5-year renewable energy support scheme contract from the Irish government in the third round of the auction.
The RESS 3 auction selected only three wind projects, totalling 148MW, as provisional winners.
Heather Donald, director of onshore wind, solar, battery (GB & Ireland), for SSE Renewables said: “We’re delighted to have successfully energised the Yellow River project and to be producing clean electricity from the heart of the Midlands. Reaching first power at Yellow River successfully delivers another 101MW of clean energy supply to help meet Ireland’s climate targets.”
The Irish government is targeting 80% of electricity generated from renewable sources by 2030. In October, EirGrid data showed renewable sources provided 40.4% of Ireland’s total electricity demand, and 35% of its demand was met by wind generation.
Construction of the project began in October 2022. At its peak, the project supported 150 full-time jobs and, according to SSE, the site will continue supporting County Offaly’s job creation and local economy. It will also contribute a Community Benefit Fund across the duration of the RESS contract.
SSE Renewables is targeting an increase in its installed renewable energy capacity to up to 9GW by 2027 as part of parent company SSE’s ‘Net Zero Acceleration Programme Plus’.
The renewable developer recently proposed another onshore wind farm, this time in County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. If approved, the project could be made up of ten wind turbines with a potential 60MW capacity.
