WEH locks wind farm deal

Wind Energy Holding Co (WEH), the majority-owned subsidiary of KPN Group, has signed a contract with GE Power to develop the world's tallest wind power projects worth US$450 million (14.7 billion baht), according to a company statement.

When the projects are completed, WEH will have developed and constructed onshore wind farms in Thailand with capacity exceeding 720 megawatts, making it the single largest wind power developer and operator in Southeast Asia.

According to the agreement, WEH has contracted three of the wind farms with GE Renewable Energy and six substations with GE Power.

The three projects, with capacity of 270MW, are located in Thailand's northeastern provinces of Nakhon Ratchasima and Chaiyaphum, with GE supplying turbines boasting an innovative steel-concrete hybrid tower design.

With a tip height of 225 metres, 137m diameter rotors and 157m hub height, these will be the world's tallest onshore wind turbines, exhibiting the latest in low-wind technology, the company said in a statement.

Construction on the projects has begun and commercial operations are expected to begin in 15 months.

This announcement comes on the back of WEH's successful fundraising efforts, whereby the company raised 37 billion baht for the construction of five wind projects with capacity of 450MW.