Kier starts work on wind farm extension for Peel

Construction has started on the 10 Mega Watt expansion of a wind farm on the dockside in Seaforth, at the Port of Liverpool.

The four turbine onshore wind farm is expected to provide enough electricity to serve approximately 6,000 households each year.

Planning was granted in 2006 and construction has now begun on the project, on the waterfront at Alexandra, Langton, Canada and Huskisson Docks.

Construction work, including the building of turbine foundations and a substation, is currently being undertaken by Kier Construction. The four N90 2.5 MW wind turbines are being supplied and installed by Nordex, and will be delivered directly to the site by ship towards the end of 2008.

The turbines are due to be fully operational and generating electricity by spring 2009. Peel Wind Power has entered into an agreement with E.ON UK to purchase all of the electricity generated for the next 15 years.

This is the second wind farm to be developed by Peel Wind Power, part of the Peel Group, and follows on from the success of the existing wind farm at Seaforth Dock. The six turbine wind farm established in 1999 generates a total of 3.6MW.

Richard Dibley, development manager at Peel Wind Power, said: "Peel is committed to developing clean and renewable sources of energy and we are delighted that our latest wind farm at the Port of Liverpool is now well on track to contributing towards the region's renewable energy supply".

Tim Bownes, chief engineer of Peel Ports, added: "Once this second farm is in operation the wind farms will be potentially generating the equivalent of 45% of the electricity needs of the Port of Liverpool."

Peel is currently going through a public inquiry in opposition to Cheshire council's rejection of a planning application to build a 105MW refuse derived fuel power station at Ince Marshes, on the banks of the Mersey between Ellesmere Port and Runcorn.