Empower the main contractor for TuuliWatti's wind farm projects in northwestern Finland - Empower also chosen as the contractor for the 110 kV connection cable for the wind farm in Simo

TuuliWatti Oy and Empower's Power Network Division have signed construction contracts for five wind farms on the coast of the Bay of Bothnia. The project consists of building new wind farms in Raahe in Sarvankangas and in Simo in Halmekangas and expanding the wind farms in Kalajoki and in Simo in Onkalo and Leipiö, located in northwestern Finland. A total of 47 turbines will be built in the region. Empower is also responsible for the construction project of the 110 kV connection for the wind farm in Simo. The value of the contracts is nearly EUR 20 million. TuuliWatti will invest more than EUR 200 million in the region.

“We have cooperated with TuuliWatti for a long time. We are pleased that our broad know-how has convinced our customer, enabling extending the cooperation now also to high voltage line projects,” says President Timo Kiiveri at Empower's Power Network Division.

Empower will be the main contractor for the projects that include the construction of roads, lifting platforms, the medium voltage network of the wind farm, the telecom network and a substation. The connection cable project includes a total of about 45 kilometres of new 110 kV high voltage line north-west of Simo, to the Taivalkoski substation in Keminmaa. Empower is also responsible for the planning and management of the projects and the supervision of the turbine delivery.

“Our cooperation with Empower during our EUR 650 million investment programme that includes several wind farms has gone very well. During our lengthy cooperation, we have shared the principle of continuous development of the operations together with domestic local operators. Empower has been able to answer the challenges of wind power construction and exceed our expectations, which is why we wanted Empower to be the main contractor also for the final stage of our project and the contractor for the connection cable project,” says Managing Director Jari Suominen at TuuliWatti.

The construction of the wind farms and the 110 kV high voltage line will commence in stages during summer and autumn 2015, and the projects will be finalised mainly during 2016.

Empower is the leading provider of wind power services in Finland. The group's services cover the entire life span of wind farms, from development to construction and maintenance, as well as 24/7 operation and monitoring services.

Further information:
Timo Kiiveri, President, Power Network Division, Empower group, tel.: +358 40 543 3039, timo.kiiveri(at)empower.fi

Juha Lamberg, Director, Wind Power, Empower group, tel. +358 500 515 883, juha.lamberg(at)empower.fi

Markku Holappa, Director, Power Networks, Empower group, tel. +358 400 106 128, markku.holappa(at)empower.fi

Empower group Communications, Empower Media Desk (weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.), tel. +358 40 6417 000, empower.communications(at)empower.fi