VSB selected NYAB as the main contractor for the Juurakko wind farm
20.01.21VSB Uusiutuva Energia Suomi Oy has selected NYAB (former Suomen Maastorakentajat Oy) as the main contractor for the Juurakko wind farm. VSB Finland’s Country Manager Seppo Tallgren is pleased that an experienced local wind energy contractor was selected as the main contractor in the competitive tendering.
“In the development of our wind power projects, we always strive to comply with our values and be part of local communities. In this case, too, cooperation with landowners and other stakeholders, such as the City of Kalajoki, went well. There were no complaints during the project authorisation process. The fact that the local main contractor usually also uses local subcontractors increases its positive economic impact,” Seppo Tallgren continues.
Wind turbines with state-of-the-art technology
Seven Nordex N163 type wind turbines will be installed at the Juurakko wind farm. An individual turbine has an output of 5.7 megawatts and pole height of 148 metres.
The wind farm will be built on the land area along the roads Vasannevantie and Juurakonevantie. The NYAB’s main contract includes road construction, the construction of the foundations and lifting areas of wind turbines, and cabling.
VSB Suomi’s Construction Manager Sami Orajärvi says that about 800 cubic metres of concrete are needed to cast one foundation. The total area of the lifting areas is about 1.2 hectares. Approximately 6 km of internal underground cable routes and approximately 9 km of external underground cable routes will be built.
“Investments in road infrastructure are of particular importance locally. 6.5 kilometres of existing roads will be renovated, and three kilometres of new road will be built,” says Orajärvi.
Pyhä-Kala Forest Management Association will start clearing the tree stand in January, and the excavation and the construction and cabling of the substation will begin next spring. The wind turbines will arrive at the port of Raahe, from where they will be transported to the wind farm in spring 2022. The power plants will be set up immediately in May, and they will be deployed in stages so that electricity production in the completed park will begin in autumn 2022.
Market-driven wind power construction
The Juurakko wind farm project is special in many ways. As a landowner, Jukka Juola was also one of the drivers of the project in 2012, together with two other landowners, Matti Linna and Erkki Nikula. Furthermore, the Juurakko wind farm is VSB’s first project in Finland that has reached implementation.
According to Seppo Tallgren, the company’s long-term operations and solvency made it possible to make an investment decision purely based on market forecasts.
“The construction of wind power solutions has become market-driven. The Juurakko wind farm is a good example of the fact that an investment decision may no longer require a long-term power purchase agreement made in advance. However, this requires a new way of thinking from financers and project developers,” Tallgren says and highlights that according to research, wind power is the cheapest and fastest way to produce renewable energy and thus promote climate goals at Finnish and EU level.
In addition to Juurakko, VSB Suomi is moving ahead with the implementation of wind power projects in Karahka, Oulainen and Puutionsaari, Haapavesi. The plan proposal for the Karahka project was approved by the city government of Oulainen in January, and the plan is still waiting for the final decision of the city council.
According to Tallgren, the VSB Group’s main focus is on the development, construction and operation of wind and solar farms. The international company has been developing and building renewable energy solutions since 1996 and has so far installed 655 wind turbines. The Group currently employs over 300 people.
The landowners Matti Linna, Jukka Juola and Erkki Nikula in the area of the future Juurakko wind farm in 2012. Image: Kari Tuominen
Further information:
Seppo Tallgren, Country Manager
VSB Uusiutuva Energia Suomi Oy
tel. +358 40 869 7252
seppo.tallgren@vsb.energy
www.vsb.energy
Jukka Juola, Managing Director
Skarta Finland Oy
+358 400 586 010
jukka.juola@skarta.local
www.skartagroup.fi
