Powering the transition to a carbon free future, Powersystems are delighted to announce the contract award for the electrical balance of plant works at Sneddon Law Community 30 MW Wind Farm by RJ Mcleod on behalf of mutual client Community Wind Power.
The Sneddon Law Community Wind Farm is located in East Ayrshire, 5 km north of Galston and 9 km east of Kilmarnock. Sneddon stands adjacent to the Whitelee Wind Farm and its extensions.
About the project Sneddon Law Community Wind Farm
Development of the East Ayrshire scheme is currently underway and is due to be completed later this year. It is approved for a 25-year operational life.
The wind farm will have an installed capacity of 30 MW to generate clean, green electricity. Sneddon Community Wind Farm will comprise of 15 wind turbines. These wind turbines have a tip height of 130m and a generating capacity of 2 MW
Powersystems have worked with Community Windpower on previous successful projects, such as, Aikengall, Calder Water, and Millour Hill.
Sneddon Law Wind Farm Project Update
Powersystems Project Engineer, Darren Sampson, updates on the milestone achievements to date:
- Works started in early December with the fit out of the SPEN 33 kV switch room for small power and lighting to allow for installation of the SPEN 33 kV switchgear in early January 2023
- Powersystems installation teams returned in early February to carry out small power and lighting works within the remaining rooms of the joint substation building
- Installation of the 33 kV cabling for Array 2 commenced mid-March, installation was challenging due to the peaty conditions throughout site, but was carried out in good time with the great team work between Powersystems, RJ McLeod and the client
- 13 of the15 earth mats around the turbines are now complete and backfilled
- Array 1 cabling will commence once all bases have been poured, earthed, and backfilled, this is likely at the end of July 2023
- The 5 panel 3kV Schneider WS switchboard is fully installed and commissioned within the client switch room. All multicore communications and control cabling has been installed and is currently undergoing final commissioning with the Powersystems commissioning engineers prior to the energisation.
- The 4MVAR STATCOM unit has been delivered from Spain and is awaiting the commissioning engineers from the continent to carry out final connections before energisation
- Energisation from the local DNO, SPEN, is expected to be completed on the 17th July. 33kV terminations within the turbines shall be carried out in late July with expected energisation of Array 2 in mid-August 2023
- All works onsite are expected to be complete by the end of October 2023
Environmental Benefits
Sneddon Law Community Wind Farm will generate enough electricity to power approximately 29,600 homes and will displace around 50,800 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide per annum.
Economic Benefits
Sneddon Law Community Wind Farm will provide annual community benefit funding equivalent to £2,500 per MW of installed capacity for the planning permission of the wind farm. Based on an installed capacity of 45 MW, this equates to £112,500 per annum, totalling around £2,812,500 during the 25 year operational period, for the local host communities.
Sneddon Law Community Wind Farm Partners
The project has National Importance winning a contract with the Government and Community Windpower Ltd will use RJ McLeod for the main construction contract, Scottish Power Distribution for the electrical connections, Powersystems for the electrical infrastructure works and EBoP and CS Wind UK for the fabrication of the steel towers and will involve over 150 staff during its construction, including local suppliers.
This long running commitment to CS Wind UK again reinforces Community Windpower’s commitment to Scottish Companies and the Scottish wind farm supply chain.
Community Windpower Limited (CWL) is investing in excess of £50m, securing jobs in the construction sector and providing significant spin-off spending in the Kilmarnock area as part of the Sneddon Law Community Wind Farm project.
Once the project is constructed and operational real benefits still flow in to the surrounding area. Local business rates and rents will exceed £25m over the life time of the windfarm.
Despite taking over 5 years since Planning Approval, this project is underway and set to provide significant economic benefits to the local area and Scotland now and during its operation.
As part of building the UK carbon free future, Powersystems proudly support the design, installation, and commissioning of climate restoration technologies with connectivity in all renewable sectors.
Powersystems are powering the UK to a green recovery, with 6 GW of installed green energy as they play their part helping to decarbonise the National Grid.
Notes to Editors:
Contact Information:
- This article is written by Jules Daly, Marketing and Communications Manager at Powersystems UK.
- Email jules.daly@powersystemsuk.com Telephone 01454 318000
- Photography Copyright please credit all images used to powersystemsuk.co.uk
Powersystems are powering the transition to a carbon free future
As a high voltage specialist electrical engineering company with over 46 years (1977-2022) experience Powersystems have grown by reputation to become a trusted force in the design, installation and commissioning of electrical infrastructure across the UK.
Celebrating 26 years as the first Lloyds National Electricity Registration Scheme ‘s accredited Independent Connection Provider (ICP), Powersystems are capable of delivering contestable grid connections at voltages up to 132 kV.
Since 2000, Powersystems have connected over 6 Gigawatts of renewable energy generation to the UK electricity grid, along with decarbonisation technology which includes; wind energy projects, solar, anaerobic digestion, hydroelectric, electrical vehicle infrastructure, short term operating reserve STOR, combined heat and power (CHP), Grid stability projects like rotating stabilisers, and battery energy storage systems (BESS) as well as commercial industrial private wire networks.
Working with partners, delivering sustainable power solutions, proudly the Powersystems high voltage specialist team have connected 27% of all U.K. onshore wind farm
At the core of the operation is a commitment to the highest values of health and safety, welfare, quality and the environment. Powersystems Integrated management systems are ISO accredited and their approach under their health and safety ‘Priority No.1’ brand is to aim for the best industry practice in all.
Powersystems UK Ltd. is an Employee-Owned Business and as such has a keen interest in the well-being of all its employees. They encourage and empower you to be imaginative, share great ideas and be involved in the success of the business.
Speak to Powersystems today
You can contact us as follows