April 2024: Wind farm commissioning
All eight turbines have been installed and the wind farm is now going through the commissioning stage before commencing full commercial operation in the summer.
January 2024: Next stage
Here’s a shot of all five fully installed turbines at the break of day. Once a wind turbine is erected, there's still work to be done before it can be 'energised', or connected to the electricity network. Mechanical completion takes around two weeks before commissioning. This commissioning process involves a series of electrical tests and inspections before a turbine is ready to generate electricity.
‘T3’ is the fifth turbine to be completed. Here’s the last blade being lifted into place at sunset. Three more to go.
January 2024: Blade installation weather window
Here’s one of the blades being lifted into place. Blade installation requires high precision and is highly weather dependent. Wind conditions are particularly important for lifting blades. The construction team are constantly watching the weather and following the most up-to-the-minute specialist forecasts to schedule (and, if necessary, postpone) the final installation of the turbine blades.
Our construction team are celebrating another milestone, after the successful energisation of the new Lislea 110 kV substation site.
Energisation was made possible due to effective collaboration between EirGrid Group, ESB Networks and the Drumlins Park Wind Farm project team. Energia Renewables would like to thank both parties for their role in delivering the new 110 kV substation. Thanks also to our contracting partner, H&MV Engineering supported by Fox Building & Engineering Ltd, for delivering the substation - which has already been handed over to the network operators.
December 2023: Fourth turbine fully installed
Four up and four to go. Blade installation is dependent on the weather and the team are always watching the changing forecast.
October 2023: First blades installed
The Drumlins Park Wind Farm reached another major milestone in October with the successful installation of T6 - including tower, nacelle and blades. It's the first of the first of 8 turbines to be fully assembled.
September 2023: Precision manoeuvres
Ever wondered what it's like to drive turbine blades through towns and villages? Watch as the 65-metre-long turbine blades for the Drumlins Park Wind Farm are transported through Monaghan Town and Old Cross Square in the early hours of the morning:
September 2023: Here come the blades!
The overnight transportation of the 65-metre-long blades and 14-metre-long tips is being undertaken by specialist hauliers with a Garda escort.
Commenting on the continued progress on site, Energia Renewables Head of Construction Patrick Tierney said, “This is a significant milestone for our construction team. I want to thank everyone involved in the strategic and logistical planning of this project. It takes a lot of hard work, coordination, partnership working and meticulous detail to get these components to the site, whilst ensuring that disruption for road users and residents is kept to a minimum.”
September 2023: Pre-installation of base and mid-tower sections
Overnight turbine deliveries are scheduled to continue into early October. The tower sections, nacelles, hubs and - last but not least - blades must be transported by night and through the early hours of the morning to minimise disruption to other road users.
On site, the pre-installation of the base and mid-tower sections has been completed using large cranes – ready for the full assembly of top tower, nacelle and rotor.
August 2023: Blades transported in two parts
The 66m blades and 15m tips will be fitted together on site before being lifted into place by crane and attached to the hub.
August 2023: Blade inspection
The turbine blades and tips are carefully examined on the dockside by an independent, qualified inspector before being transported to the Drumlins Park construction site in Monaghan.
The huge blades for the eight Drumlins Park Wind Farm 6.1MW GE turbines arrived in Waterford Port in August and were unloaded onto the dockside, ready for inspection.
August 2023: Turbine assembly
Here’s the first turbine being assembled on site. The steel tower sections are 18.2m long and are lifted into place with a crane before being bolted together. Once fully assembled, these powerful turbines will have a ground-to-tip height of 180m.
August 2023: First turbine deliveries
March 2023: Turbine bases complete
Deliveries for a concrete pour start early in the morning and continue until all concrete has been poured.
October 2022: Turbine foundations
The construction of each turbine foundation involves preliminary excavation, the fixing of 50 tonnes of steel reinforcement and the pouring of 68 lorry loads of concrete.
Contact us
If you have any questions about our operational wind farms, development sites, battery storage facilities or renewable energy projects, please contact our Community Liaison Officers by email at clo@energia.ie, or phone +44 (0)78 80432201 or +353 (0)87 9944952.
