Sopi-Tootsi: Construction to Begin

Sopi-Tootsi, an onshore wind farm in Estonia receives final investment decision from Enefit Green for construction.

A project in three stages

Sopi-Tootsi, a 255MW wind farm receives final investment decision from Enefit Green. In addition, the company also announces the construction of the 80MW Kelme wind farm in Lithuania. This is the first step in a three-part development project.

Enefit Green plans to invest nearly €450 million in these projects over the next two years. Aavo Kärmas, chairman of the board of Enefit Green, says:

“The Sopi-Tootsi wind farm will be the most modern and powerful renewable energy production area in Estonia and the Baltic States, almost doubling the current amount of wind power produced in Estonia. The park’s production will cover 8.5 percent of the entire country’s electricity consumption and 40 percent of the electricity needs of domestic consumers.”

In addition, the company states that this is the largest Estonian investment in renewable energy to date. The three-stage Kelme project in Lithuania will have even more impact than Sopi-Tootsi. Thus, Aavo Kärmas, chairman of the board of directors of Enefit Green, states:

“We are currently beginning construction on the first stage of the Kelme project in Lithuania, and we also expect to make investment decisions on subsequent stages over the next year. The Kelme wind farm as a whole will add 320 megawatts of generation and a large amount of cheap renewable energy to the regional electricity market.”

Production start-up in 2024

The investment in Sopi-Tootsi amounts to €305 million and €145 million for Kelme. In order to secure the funds necessary to build the wind farms, the company entered into long-term power purchase and sale agreements. In addition, Enefit Green successfully participated in the national tender for 110GW with Sopi-Tootsi.

As next steps, Enefit Green will sign contracts with the builders of the two wind farms and with the wind turbine suppliers. After the contracts are signed, preparatory construction work will begin on both sites. Thus, Kelme and Sopi-Tootsi should start production in 2024.

The Sopi-Tootsi wind farm in North Pärnu County will host 38 wind turbines and Enefit Green is planning a 63MW solar farm nearby. Thus, the investment decision on the solar park would be made next year. In addition, Enefit Green is building two wind farms in Lithuania, one in Finland, a hybrid wind and solar farm in Estonia and two solar farms in Poland.