Renalfa Acquires 73 MW Bulgarian Wind Facility From Alpiq

Austrian renewable energy company Renalfa IPP has agreed to acquire the Vetrocom wind farm situated in Bulgaria from Switzerland based Alpiq. With a capacity of 72.5 MW, the wind farm, which is wholly owned by Alpiq, generates yearly an average of 135 GWh of climate-friendly electricity.

Renalfa is a joint venture between the French investment fund company RGreen Invest and the Vienna-based Renalfa Solarpro Group. Renalfa is also taking over Alpiq Wind Services and Alpiq Energia Bulgaria’s trading business.

The Vetrocom wind farm is constructed near the town of Kazanlak, 200 km east of Sofia, commissioned the 29 turbines in three stages between 2010 and 2012. It has been operational for over ten years. Alpiq Wind Services is a subsidiary of Alpiq, primarily responsible for the safe and reliable operation and maintenance of the Vetrocom wind farm.

Alpiq Energia Bulgaria ensures the optimised marketing of the electricity generated by the wind farm as well as the purchase and sale of balancing energy in connection with Vetrocom and for third-party assets. “I am delighted to pass on Vetrocom and the strong local team to Renalfa that will continue and build on this success,” says Lukas Gresnigt, Head of Alpiq’s International business division.

“Acquisition of Vetrocom is an important step for technology diversification of our fast growing portfolio of generating assets in East Europe,” says Nick Antonov, Director of communications of Renalfa IPP.

Renalfa claims to be one of the leading investors and developers in East Europe with more than 450 MW operational assets or projects in active construction and more than 1 GW projects in late stage development. Renalfa is active in Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Northern Macedonia.

Renalfa said that the sale is subject to the usual closing conditions, in particular to the approval of the competition authorities. The transaction is expected to be closed in the course of 2023. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

Helping Alpiq’s Businesses

Alpiq said that the sale is a further step towards a geographically focused energy business in the company’s core markets. In addition to investments in Swiss hydropower, the firm is, among other activities, developing new wind energy and photovoltaic projects in Switzerland, Spain, Italy, France and the Nordic countries with a view to enhancing the security of supply and expanding its climate-friendly electricity production.