Following a development stage of more than four years and a construction phase of approx. one year, VERBUND, Austria's leading electricity company, is putting into operation one of the largest on-shore wind farms of Europe, located near the Romanian Black Sea coast. Roughly one half of the 225 MW wind farm has been connected to the grid, further wind farms are to follow until the beginning of 2014. The investment volume is approx. € 380 million. A further expansion stage to 280 MW is planned until 2016. "Wind power is the ideal addition to our generation focus of hydropower, and Romania offers good overall conditions for our investment," says CEO Wolfgang Anzengruber on the occasion of the festive opening in Bucharest.
The wind farm is situated approx. 250 km east of Bucharest, near the Romanian Black Sea coast. The wind conditions there are favourable, similar to that of the German North Sea coast, with optimum conditions for the implementation of a project of this size. In total, 88 wind power plants can generate some 540 GWh of electricity annually, enough to supply approx. 350,000 Romanian households with clean wind power. The clean wind energy is fed into the Romanian transmission grid through a 400 kV substation especially erected by VERBUND for this purpose. "With more than 200 MW, we have reached the goal we have set for ourselves. The wind energy in the region, however, has additional expansion potential – the Dobruja is one of the windiest regions in Europe and we intend to use the best locations throughout Europe for the respective technology," says Anzengruber.
Wind energy as a supplement to hydropower
With the commissioning of this Romanian wind farm, VERBUND is strengthening its market position in the field of wind energy. VERBUND currently operates wind farms with a total capacity of approx. 450 MW both in Austria and throughout the world.
Strong partners in the region
Amongst the wind power operators in the region, VERBUND takes on a special position. On the one hand, VERBUND was an "early mover", on the other hand, emphasis was placed on the sustainable utilisation of the region from the very beginning. Numerous social initiatives in the region underline the responsibility of VERBUND, thus, for example, the funding of a new kindergarten and the equipment for a dental surgery.
About VERBUND
VERBUND is Austria’s leading electricity company and one of the largest producers of hydroelectricity in Europe. The company produces more than four fifths of its electricity from hydropower, supplemented by thermal and wind power. Including its interests, VERBUND has approximately one million electricity customers and trades in electricity in 15 countries. In 2012,VERBUND's approx. 3,100 employees achieved an annual turnover of 3.2 billion euro. Together with its subsidiaries and partners, VERBUND is active from electricity generation, transmission and distribution through to international trading and sales. VERBUND has been listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1988, 51% of the share capital is owned by the Republic of Austria.
