SSE, RWE npower JV commissions 500MW offshore wind farm online

Greater Gabbard Offshore Winds (GGOWL), a 50% joint venture (JV) between SSE and RWE npower, has commissioned the 500MW Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm and is selling the electricity generated from the project.

The wind farm located 25km off the coast of Suffolk consists of 140 Siemens wind turbines each with 3.6MW of capacity to produce clean electricity to power approximately 530,000 homes.

SSE Renewables managing director Jim Smith said the company has completed commissioning the turbines at the Greater Gabbard.

"In the meantime, Greater Gabbard is now a substantial operating asset that is already contributing a significant amount of electricity to help meet the UK’s low carbon energy objectives," Smith said.

GGOWL has taken a number of risk control measures to help the turbines generate electricity effectively.

The partners of the JV will also equally share the electricity output from the plant.

The total net electricity generating capacity of SSE’s offshore wind farms including the Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm is 340MW.

UK-based RWE npower, a part of RWE Group, is an electricity and gas company and SSE is a British electric utility company.