Kola Wind Farm (WPP)

History

2023: Launch of the second stage of the wind farm

In June 2023, it became known about the launch of the world's largest wind farm (WES) beyond the Arctic Circle. The project was implemented by Lukoil.

According to the press service of the group, the second stage of the Kola wind farm was launched in May 2023, as a result of which the total station reached 201 MW. The Kola wind farm is equipped with 57 turbines and covers an area of ​ ​ 257 hectares. The planned production of the wind farm is about 750 million kWh per year, which will prevent emissions of up to 600 thousand tons of CO2-equiv. annually, said Lukoil.

Kola Wind Farm

All WPP installations are designed with account of operation in low temperature conditions and operate in automatic mode. At the top of the wind unit are small weather stations from which a wind signal is received. The wind wheel on which the three blades are mounted comes into motion when the wind begins to blow at a speed of at least 3 m/s, while the nacelle (the upper part of the wind plant on which the wind wheel, generator and control system are installed) turns depending on the direction of the wind to capture the maximum volume of air flows. If the wind speed increases to 25 m/s or ice formation, the system automatically stops rotation and the wind plant is taken out of operation.

During the construction on an area of ​ ​ 257 hectares, the company laid 56 km of internal roads, stretched 90 km of underground cable lines, almost the same number of power lines, built and connected a substation.

The company stressed that the wind farm is equipped mainly with Russian equipment. The Kola wind farm was built within the framework of the state program for supporting renewable power (PDM RES) and an agreement with the government of the Murmansk region on the development of renewable power. In 2021, the project was given the status of a strategic investment project in the region.^[1]

Notes