Authorization
The world’s only wind farm being built in a major conflict zone has officially opened, DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, said on May 22, 2023.
Phase I of the Tyligulska Wind Power Plant (WPP), which lies just 100 km from the frontline in the Southern region of Mykolaiv is already generating green power. The plant’s 19 turbines have an installed capacity of 114 MW, generating up to 390,000 kWh – enough to power 200,000 households a year. DTEK invested $200 million in the construction process of phase I. The project is one of the first to deploy 6 MW Enventus turbines from Danish manufacturer Vestas.
Phase II plans envisage adding up to 64 turbines to raise potential output to 500 MW. The 500MW capacity at that point, will make it Eastern Europe’s largest WPP and provide secure energy for homes and businesses in the south of Ukraine.
Ground was broken in late 2021 and the first wind turbine was erected in December 2021. However, DTEK halted construction after russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, with 6 turbines installed, as enemy forces advanced on Mykovaiv and foreign partners were forced to evacuate staff and equipment.
By summer 2022, work resumed with an all-Ukrainian crew of 650 people at its peak. Staff worked in bullet proof vests and spent over 300 hours in bomb shelters from August 2022 until April this year, under the constant threat of missile strikes.
In 1,5 years, the team installed 114 MW of generating capacity – twice the usual speed for a project on this scale and an outstanding achievement in uniquely difficult circumstances.
Commenting on Tyligulska’s official opening, DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko said:
“The Tyligulska wind farm is a symbol of Ukraine’s resistance to Russian attempts to freeze Ukraine into submission. With projects like Tyligulska, we can build Ukraine back greener and cleaner and become a key partner in Europe’s energy future. And by developing an infrastructure based on distributed rather centralized generation, we create an energy supply that is more resilient and stable.”
“Before the war the development of wind energy in Ukraine was primarily seen as an alternative to natural gas imported from Russia. Today this industry should become one of the main tools for building a new decentralized energy system in Ukraine, which will help to avoid blackouts that our country faced this winter,” said Andriy Konechenkov, Chairman of the UWEA Board, during his speech at the press briefing.
Phase II plans envisage adding up to 64 turbines to raise potential output to 500 MW. The 500MW capacity at that point, will make it Eastern Europe’s largest WPP and provide secure energy for homes and businesses in the south of Ukraine.
UWEA thanks DTEK Renewables' team for their contribution to Ukraine's energy independence and energy security!
Fast facts on Tyligulska WPP
PHASE I
PHASE II:
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