London Array, set to be the world’s largest offshore wind farm, achieved its biggest milestone so far on 29 October when its turbines generated power for the first time. Construction of the mammoth project began in March 2011 and as of 29 October 2012, 151 of Phase One’s 175 turbines had been installed.

Onshore construction activities at Cleve Hill in Kent – including a new onshore substation worked on by Wilding Construction – are now complete and offshore construction should be finished in early 2013.

Located 12 miles out to sea in the Thames Estuary, Phase One will have a 630MW capacity and be able to power up to 470,000 homes in the Kent and Essex area. Phase Two, which is subject to approval due to concerns about birdlife in the area, will increase the London Array’s total capacity to 870MW if it goes ahead.

Wilding says: ‘Well done to everyone on the London Array team who’s worked so hard to bring this project to fruition. There are just a few more turbines to install before this ground-breaking wind farm can be commissioned and start generating to its full capacity.’

Source: The Guardian