Vestas Secures 103 MW Order and EPC Contract in New Zealand

Vestas has signed a 103 MW engineering, procurement, and construction contract with New Zealand-based electricity generator and retailer Mercury.

Vestas has signed a 103 MW engineering, procurement, and construction contract with New Zealand-based electricity generator and retailer Mercury. The deal will extend Mercury’s Turitea Wind Farm from 119 MW to 222 MW, improving the cost of energy and making Mercury’s first wind project the largest wind park in New Zealand.

Situated near Palmerston North, the wind farm will now feature a further 27 Vestas V112-3.45 MW turbines delivered in 3.8 MW Power Optimised Mode, alongside the initial 33 Vestas V112-3.35 MW turbines operating in 3.6 MW. The turbines’ optimised power rating and site-specific tower design have been selected to maximise the energy generation at the new part of the wind park.

“We are pleased to be able to complete this project with Vestas by encompassing all 60 consented turbines. Fully developing the Turitea Wind Farm will capture more of New Zealand’s great wind resources through regional investment, further lowering the project’s cost of energy and allowing us to provide New Zealand with more affordable and sustainable renewable energy”, said Fraser Whineray, chief executive of Mercury.

“Vestas shares Mercury’s commitment to a sustainable future, and we are pleased to expand our relationship to complete New Zealand’s biggest wind farm”, said Clive Turton, President at Vestas Asia Pacific. “The deal will further strengthen our leadership position in the New Zealand market, expand our service footprint and create local jobs”

The Turitea Wind Farm will increase Vestas’ installed capacity in New Zealand to 568 MW. Upon completion, Vestas will commence a 25-year Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement, designed to maximise energy production for the lifetime of the project. With an energy-based availability guarantee covering both turbines and balance of plant assets, Vestas will provide Mercury with long-term business case certainty. Commissioning of the additional 27 turbines at Turitea Wind Farm is scheduled to commence in the second quarter of 2021.