Iberdrola building 50 MW wind plant in northern Hungary

Construction has started on Iberdrola Renovables' first wind farm in Hungary. The 50 MW Kisigmand project, comprising 25 Gamesa 2 MW turbines, is in the province of Komarom-Esztergom in northern Hungary. It is one of four wind projects totalling 108 MW that the Spanish company acquired a year ago from Hungarian developer Callis to take its wind portfolio in the country up to 254 MW (Windpower Monthly, December 2007). At the time of the acquisition, Iberdrola said it expected to invest EUR 155 million in the four projects, with a view to all being constructed by the end of 2009. Meanwhile another project, comprising 12-14, 2 MW turbines, at Hodmezovasarhely in eastern Hungary, is in the early planning stages, says Stefan Bauch of Iberdrola Regenerative Energien in Berlin. Small German developer Planungsbüro für Erneuerbare Energien is developing the EUR 30 million project for Iberdrola. Contracts are yet to be agreed with the local parish authority for use of the planned project site. It may be up to four years before the project is firmed up, says Bauch.