REpower Systems AG signed a contract with the offshore project development company C-Power agreeing the delivery of 48 wind energy turbines for the Thornton Bank project in Belgium. RWE Innogy and EDF EN have shares in C-Power. The turbines have a total rated power of approximately 295 MW and are envisaged for phases 2 and 3 of the first Belgian offshore wind farm. The installation of 24 turbines for phase 2 is planned for the spring of 2012, and a further 24 are designated for installation during a third extension stage by mid-2013.
A bank consortium of seven commercial banks, together with the European Investment Bank are providing approximately €900m in financing. The total investment – including the refinancing of the first phase project – amounts up to approximately €1.3bn.
ABB was awarded a $125m contract from C-Power NV to link the wind farm 30 km off the coast of Belgium to the mainland grid. The transmission link is part of an expansion of the Thornton Bank wind farm. In the first phase of its development, six wind turbines with a capacity of 30 MW were built and temporarily connected to the mainland by ABB. The second and third phases of the project involve adding 48 wind turbines to the wind farm and permanently connecting all three phases, taking its overall capacity to 325 MW.