Dong Energy inaugurates Burbo Bank Extension

DONG Energy has announced that Burbo Bank Extension offshore wind farm has been inaugurated in Liverpool (UK).

The wind farm is a joint venture between DONG Energy (50%) and its partners Danish pension provider​ PKA (25%) and KIRKBI A/S, parent company of the LEGO Group (25%). As we reported in February 2016, DONG Energy divested 50% of the project to PKA and KIRKBI A/S. The total purchase price for the investors amounts to approximately GPB 660 million (US$956 million).

The project has a total capacity of 256 MW and is capable of meeting the electricity demand of well over 230,000 homes.

It is the first offshore wind farm in the world to make commercial use of the MHI Vestas V164-8.0 MW wind turbines. Just one of these wind turbines produces more energy than the whole of Vindeby, the world's first offshore wind farm constructed by DONG Energy 25 years ago in Denmark. The windfarm will consist of 32 of these turbines.

DONG Energy will provide operation and maintenance services to Burbo Bank Extension under a long-term O&M agreement. Furthermore, DONG Energy will be responsible for the sale and delivery to the market of the part of the production that is generated by PKA and KIRKBI A/S's 50% ownership share.

Henrik Poulsen, DONG Energy Chief Executive Officer, said:

"Burbo Bank Extension showcases the rapid innovation in the offshore wind industry. Less than ten years ago at Burbo Bank, we were the first to install Siemens 3.6MW wind turbines and in this short time, the wind turbines have more than doubled in capacity.

Pushing innovation in this way reduces the cost of electricity from offshore wind and will help to advance the offshore wind industry across the world."

Peter Damgaard Jensen, PKA CEO, said:

"Since our first investment in an offshore wind farm in 2011, PKA has focused its strategy on investing in renewables and divesting from coal and oil companies. Today, PKA has invested in four offshore wind farms that provide renewable energy to around a million households. We're proud to be able to provide a good return to the pension savers and at the same time make a positive difference."

DONG Energy is building a new multi-million pound operations facility in Merseyside that will serve both Burbo Bank Extension and the existing wind farm in the area, Burbo Bank.