Vattenfall has commenced construction work of Ormonde offshore wind farm in the Irish Sea, UK. The work is due for completion during 2011 and first power is expected later that year.

The wind farm is situated 10km off Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. On completion, it will comprise 30 RePower 5MW wind turbines. This is sufficient to supply approximately 100,000 homes with clean electricity annually.

Over the next year, Vattenfall will continue to look at opportunities to use local facilities and personnel. During the operational phase a number of long-term jobs will be created at the control, operations and maintenance base built within Barrow port, the company said.

According to the company, the 5MW turbines will make a substantial contribution to supply a large number of households with clean electricity. This supports EU and UK targets for renewable energy as well as the company’s own ambitions to reduce harmful emissions and to reach climate neutrality by 2050.

Vattenfall is now constructing three wind farms in the UK. They include: the Ormonde wind farm, the Thanet wind farm and the Edinbane wind farm.