Jones Bros Civil Engineering has started construction on a 15-turbine onshore wind farm in Scotland. The Ruthin-based company is working on the Benbrack onshore wind farm between Dalmellington and Carsphairn in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
The civil engineering firm's activity will include the construction of access roads, turbine foundations, and electrical infrastructure, including an onsite substation. The wind farm project will provide work for 32 Jones Bros employees at the company’s Bellshill base, including four apprentices and trainee engineers.
Jones Bros project manager Jonathan Maitland, said: “It’s wonderful to start work on the wind farm and continue our long history of delivering renewable projects in Scotland. We have vast amounts of experience working on wind farm projects and this presents another fantastic chance for our skilled team to showcase their individual and collective talents.
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“As with all our projects, we will be actively looking to provide opportunities locally in terms of supply chain.”
Renewable energy consultancy Natural Power will oversee activity as construction management service provider, while turbine supplier Vestas is scheduled to mobilise the site in early 2024 for installation works.
Power generation from the wind farm in south west Scotland is expected in spring 2024 with full commercial operations to follow later that summer.
Benbrack project director Jamie Grant, said: “We’ve been driving towards the start of construction since we acquired Benbrack early last year, so we’re excited to get started and be a step closer to generating clean energy. We’ll be working closely with our key contractors and the local supply chain to deliver the wind farm quickly and with minimum disruption to the local area.”
Jones Bros was contracted by renewable energy projects operator Red Rock Power to work on the project. Headquartered in Edinburgh, Red Rock Power owns four other onshore and offshore wind farms at different lifecycle stages and with different ownership models, including the Afton onshore wind farm in East Ayrshire which it acquired at completion of construction in 2018.
Red Rock Power chief executive Guy Madgwick said: “As the first wind farm under our management to move into construction, Benbrack signifies our continued commitment to the Scottish market and the expansion of our wind business. Onshore wind remains central to our long-term vision – we look forward to seeing Benbrack come to fruition while we consider future opportunities.”
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