Earlier today (Monday 27th November), the first Rampion Wind Farm turbine was brought online.
This is a significant milestone for the offshore wind farm, which has been in progress since 2015. Recently all 116 turbines were installed and it is thought the project is on track to complete in early 2018.
Matthew Swanwick, Project Director for the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm said: “We’re especially proud to have reached this milestone as the first power is generated at Rampion. Over the last two years the construction team has worked tirelessly in all weather conditions to complete this remarkable engineering feat.
“Over the coming weeks and months the turbines will one-by-one begin to be turned on and generate power as they are brought online. This process will take us into 2018 to complete.”
With an installed capacity of 400 megawatts (MW), the Rampion Wind Farm will generate 1,400 gigawatt hours (GWh) of green power each year, equal to the amount used annually by around 350,000 UK homes.
It was also recently announced that the Rampion Wind Farm has launch a £4 million Community Fund, which is set to benefit communities across Sussex.
The Rampion Fund at Sussex Community Foundation is a community benefit fund set up by Rampion Offshore Wind Ltd and managed by Sussex Community Foundation.
As well as incorporating a £3.1 million community benefit fund to support local community groups, charities and not for profit organisations (including £500,000 available to support eligible community projects in the East Worthing and Lancing communities), £800,000 will be invested in a Rampion Visitor Centre to be located in the seafront arches just east of the i360 in Brighton. A charitable donation of £100,000 is also being made to the local RNLI stations.
For more information about the Rampion Fund at Sussex Community Foundation or to apply visit: sussexgiving.org.uk/rampion or call 01273 409440.