SSE’s Glenconway Wind Farm in County Derry~Londonderry has now achieved full power, reinforcing SSE’s position as Northern Ireland’s largest renewable energy generator.
The 20 turbine, 46MW site near Limavady forms part of SSE’s Slieve Kirk Wind Park, Northern Ireland’s first and largest grouped wind farm development.
Since the Slieve Kirk project began, SSE has placed a large emphasis on stimulating the local economy, committing to an investment of £35 million locally over the next 25 years through local rates payments, landowner rents and community fund contributions. More than 65 suppliers have been involved with the project development since it started, all of which are located within 40 miles of the wind park. Around 125 workers were employed in the construction of Glenconway alone, with more than 60% living within 25 miles of the site.
With Glenconway fully energised, SSE’s export capacity at Slieve Kirk Wind Park has risen to 73.6MW. This brings SSE’s total installed capacity of green wind energy in Northern Ireland to 88 MW and to 500 MW in the all-island Single Electricity Market.
Glenconway Project Manager, Kevin McKernan commented: “Glenconway is SSE’s largest project thus far in Northern Ireland, and it demonstrates our ongoing commitment to renewable energy in the region. Now that both phases of the Slieve Kirk Wind Park are up and running, we will continue to stimulate local growth by employing full time staff to operate the site. We expect that Slieve Kirk Wind Park will power almost 60,000 homes in the area.”