Eesti Energia and Nelja Energia open new wind farm in Paldiski

Along with the older Pakri wind turbines, the wind turbines built on the peninsula cover the needs of the equivalent of 50,000 average Estonian households.

“I am glad that Paldiski wind farm has been completed. One more efficient power plant has been added to Eesti Energia’s generating portfolio, as wind conditions on Pakri peninsula are excellent,” said chairman of the Eesti Energia management board, Sandor Liive. Eesti Energia currently operates four wind farms: Paldiski, Aulepa, Narva and Virtsu, with a total capacity of 111 MW.

“The Paldiski wind farm is a good example of successful cooperation between two energy producers, the synergy has led to one of Estonia’s biggest wind farms,” said chairman of AS Nelja Energia’s management board, Martin Kruus. Based on Nordic and Estonian capital, Nelja Energia is the biggest wind energy producer in the Baltics, operating a total of 223 MW in wind farms, of which 144 MW are in Estonia – in the north-eastern part of the country as well as in Lääne County and Paldiski.

Pakri peninsula is a good place for building a wind farm, as the limestone plateau is 21-24 meters above sea level and has good wind conditions. The very top of the turbines stands 135 metres above the ground.

The Paldiski wind farm turbines were made in Germany by the international turbine manufacturer GE WindEnergy GmbH. The rated output of each one is 2.5 MW and the total for the Paldiski wind farm is 45 MW. The total cost of construction of the Paldiski wind farm was 62 million euros.

Clean energy has been produced on Pakri since 2004, when the first Nelja-Energy-owned wind turbine was hooked up to the grid. Today there are 26 of them, 17 owned by Nelja Energia and nine by Eesti Energia. The total capacity of the turbines is 63.4 MW. Paldiski is also the first city in Estonia that produces 100% renewable energy, and more than the city consumes.

Today, Estonia has a total 126 wind turbines with a total output of 269.4 MW, which produce close to 6% of Estonia’s electricity consumption.

Nelja Energia is the largest wind energy producer in the Baltic States. In addition to the Paldiski Wind Farm the company owns wind farms also in Viru and Läänemaa region in Estonia, as well as in Lithuania. Nelja Energia has a total of 15 wind farms with a total capacity of 223 MW in the Baltic States, 144 MW of which located in Estonia. In 2012 their wind farms produced 409 GWh of electricity. In addition to wind farms Nelja Energia operates also biogas power plants in Vinni and Oisu in Estonia.

Eesti Energia has produced energy from wind since 2002. Today Eesti Energia operates four wind farms: Paldiski, Aulepa, Narva and Virtsu with a total capacity of 111 MW.