Construction is underway on the extension to ScottishPower Renewables’ Arecleoch windfarm, enhancing the energy capacity and environmental enrichment. Farrans is principal contractor for the extension of Arecleoch and neighbouring site Kilgallioch which is being constructed at the same time.
Client
ScottishPower Renewables
Work is underway on an extension project which will add an additional 13 turbines to ScottishPower Renewables’ Arecleoch windfarm. Farrans is the Principal Contractor.
Arecleoch Windfarm is a 60-turbine development capable of generating up to 120MW and is Scotland’s fourth largest onshore windfarm.
Farrans is familiar with this scheme having delivered the original development.
The site covers an area of approximately 39km2 to the south-west of Barrhill, located within forestry areas around the highest local point of Strawarren Fell. The windfarm comprises 60 wind turbine generators capable of generating an output of up to 120MW and providing electricity for thousands of homes. Farrans excavated 600,00m3 of rock from 9 on-site quarries, constructed over 65km of road and oversaw the installation of over 45km of HV cable.
As part of the original scheme, Farrans constructed a full infrastructure package comprising:
Civil and electrical design
Turbine base construction
Installation of electrical infrastructure
Forestry felling and timber harvesting
Access road construction and public road re-alignment
Construction of a new railway bridge crossing
Stone extraction and borrow pit operation
The extension of Arecleoch wind farm is taking place at the same time as an extension to Kilgallioch wind farm which sits alongside. Farrans is the Principal Contractor on both projects.
The approved extensions will add 13 additional turbines to South Ayrshire’s Arecleoch Windfarm, and Kilgallioch Windfarm in Dumfries and Galloway will see an additional 9 turbines, boosting capacity to almost 485MW – enough to power the equivalent of over 300,000 homes – and supercharging the community benefit funding provided by both sites.
To date, the local communities have benefited from almost £16 million in funding contributions, with this anticipated to increase to up to £31.4m across the lifespan of both windfarms.