The 20.7 MW Gori onshore wind farm in Georgia has “successfully achieved financial close” and construction of the facility is now due to start, Mott MacDonald, which is the lenders’ technical advisor on the project and will now monitor construction and operations, said.
The $34 million wind farm, located approximately 70km west of Tbilisi, will be the first full-scale project of this kind in Georgia. It will comprise six Vestas V117 wind turbines, each with a 3.45MW capacity and total tip height of 150m, Mott MacDonald said in a statement.
The turbines will be connected to the national power grid at an existing 220kV substation near the city of Gori.
Mott MacDonald has been working on the project since mid-2015. During this time, the consultancy has provided input on various aspects of the development such as expected annual energy yield, construction management interfaces and contractual arrangements with the national grid operator.
“This project sets an important precedent for development in the region” commented Jon Campbell-Copp, Mott MacDonald’s project manager.
The Gori wind farm is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2016.