President of Ukraine attends launch of Primorskaya wind energy plant

Petro Poroshenko took part in the ceremonial launch of the first wind turbines of Primorskaya Wind Electricity Plant (WEP) in Zaporizhzhya Region, Ukraine.

The Primorskaya WEP is set to increase green energy output in Ukraine by 650-700 mln kWh annually. This marks a significant step in Ukraine’s diversification of energy sources and energy independence.

“Innovative energy sector modernization is critical for us. I understand very well that this is an extremely complex, multilateral task, but it is necessary. And we have seen that traditional approaches to the energy sector of Ukraine have almost run their course. The new energy sector is one of the most important issues of our country’s progress. We need to increase the share of renewable energy sources in the energy balance. It is very important that business supports such a goal, that investors trust in Ukraine, believe in the country’s future and are ready to invest in the energy of the future,” said the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

52 wind turbines manufactured by GE, each with a capacity of 3.8 MW, will be installed at Primorskaya WEP. The first installation is located in the Prymorsk District of Zaporizhzhia Region, while the second is in the Pryazovsk District. The Primorskaya WEP is expected to be fully commissioned by October 2019. Upon completion, the output of Primorskaya WEP will be 200 MW of clean and safe capacity supplied to the country’s power grid, thanks to favorable wind conditions at the site.

“The initiation of the first phase of Primorskaya WEP is a testimony to our commitment to expanding investments in renewable energy sources. The growing share of clean domestic electricity generation will lead us on a path towards a more balanced and greener energy mix, as targeted in the Energy Strategy of Ukraine. Together with our project team, we are pleased to build on the successful partnership we have with the state and region to enhance the secure energy supply of the country,” said Philipp Leckebusch, CEO of DTEK Renewables.

The project of Primorskaya WEP has faced some challenges. Preparations for the construction of the facility began in 2011, and the active phase was initially scheduled for 2013-2014. However, the project was put on hold during the difficult economic and political situation in Ukraine at the time. It was renewed in 2016.

Early in 2018, DTEK Renewables signed a contract with General Electric for the supply, installation and maintenance of 26 wind turbines for the first stage of Primorskaya WEP. And in October of the same year, the companies signed another contract for the second stage of WEP.

Vyacheslav Feklin, Country Manager for GE in Ukraine, said: “The construction of the Primorskaya WEP is a testament to the professionalism, technical expertise, and commitment to innovation and partnership of all of the project participants. We would like to particularly thank our partner DTEK for their continued trust and support. This project is a major step forward in leveraging advanced, world-class technology to unleash limitless clean energy. We are proud that, together with DTEK, we are helping Ukraine take this major step into the future.”

In total, DTEK Renewables will invest more than 300 million EUR into Primorskaya WEP. The plant is planned to generate 650-700 mln kWh of green energy annually. This amount of energy is enough to provide about 350 thousand Ukrainian households with electricity.