A west Wales wind farm has started started generating renewable energy for the first time.
The Brechfa West Wind Farm, north of Carmarthen , started construction in November 2016 and since then a huge engineering feat has taken place within the Brechfa Forest.
All components making up the 28 turbines, which stand at 145m to the tip of the blade, have been delivered to site and to date, while 22 have been erected.
It comes after more than 15 years of planning for the development.
Martin Kelly project director from Innogy, the company building and operating the site said: “This is a huge milestone for the project.
“Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm has started generating renewable electricity for the first time which is testament to the team’s hard work.
“Works will now continue to erect and then test the remaining turbines and to sequentially bring the windfarm through to full commercial operation. We expect the site to be fully up and running in the summer of 2018.”
Once fully complete, Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm will generate enough renewable energy to meet the equivalent needs of approximately 38,800 average UK homes.
Gordon Baird, Natural Resources Wales’ (NRW) Energy Delivery Programme Project manager said: “This is an exciting moment in the Brechfa Wind Farm Programme.
“NRW’s joined-up work with Innogy on the NRW Managed Estate has demonstrated that together, we can deliver significant renewable energy and help to build a prosperous and sustainable future for Wales.”
A £459,200 annual community investment fund linked to the wind farm will become available to the local area once the wind farm complete.
This will amount to more than £11 million over the lifetime of the project which has significant potential for the local area.
Between June and October last year the giant turbine parts were transported from Swansea docks to the wind farm site via road, complete with police escort.
