Naturgy has commenced construction work on the Monte Tourado-Eixe wind farm, which will be located in the town of Vimianzo. The project will have a total of eleven wind turbines with a total power of 39.6 MW, which will mean an investment of around 39 million euros.
The work started until now includes the redesign of the construction area, signposting, assembling auxiliary installations, clearing and preparing the access roads and establishing relevant preventative measures for archaeological and environmental monitoring aimed to avoid any potential damage to heritage or natural elements.
Both the clearing work and the removal of weeds from the surface are strictly necessary to minimise the effect on the surroundings.
By developing this project, which is linked to the construction of the Peña Forcada-Catasol II Wind Farm in Laxe as both were part of the latest government auction for new renewable power in May 2017, the company confirms its commitment to Galicia, which will be increasing in the future.
Eleven wind turbines will produce enough electricity to power 57,000 homes
The Monte Tourado-Eixe wind power project will have eleven Vestas 3.6 MW unit capacity wind turbines, with a hub height of 87 metres and a rotor diameter of 126 metres. The machines will have a total power of 39.6 MW and estimated annual production of 144 GWh, the equivalent electric consumption of 57,000 homes.
“This renewable energy project, together with the Peña Forcada-Catasol II in Laxe, will have a very positive effect on the Costa da Morte and on Galician society as the construction will generate employment, reduce emissions of polluting gases and save electric energy production,” stated María Landeira, head of development for Naturgy’s wind power projects in Galicia. The construction of the Monte Tourado-Eixe Wind Farm will generate some 200 jobs in its different stages. For the construction, operation and maintenance of the farm, Naturgy’s technical team will receive significant support from different companies with offices and staff in Galicia.
Environmental and archaeological monitoring will be continuously carried out during the construction to guarantee compliance with the measures outlined in the Environmental Impact Statement regarding vegetation, fauna, atmosphere, hydrology and cultural and archaeological elements. The affected areas will be revegetated, and periodic environmental monitoring will be performed throughout the life of the farm.
Naturgy’s commitment to renewable energy in GaliciaNaturgy has an installed wind power of 304.6 MW in Galicia, with 13 wind farms in operation and an annual production of 581 GWh in 2017. The energy company put the Cordal de Montouto wind farm in operation in 2015 and in 2016 performed the first repowering in Galicia of the Cabo Vilano wind farm, replacing 22 wind turbines with 2 and increasing production by 400%.
In the framework of the 2017 tender of the then Ministry of Energy, Tourism and Digital Agenda (MINETAD), the Renewables branch has formalised a nomination for a total of seven wind farms in Galicia, with a total power of 233 MW, which will be located in ten municipalities in the provinces of A Coruña and Lugo: Laxe, Cabana de Bergantiños, Vimianzo, Zas, Castroverde, Pol, A Pastoriza, Baleira, Baralla, Lugo, Guntín.
The total construction of these wind farms will entail an estimated investment of more than 200 million euros between 2018 and 2019, and will create hundreds of jobs during its construction.