Aidu wind farm to complete first stage by year-end

The first stage of the Aidu wind farm is expected to be completed by the end of the year, ERR reports. Parts for two turbines are being transported from Paldiski port this week, with the first blades arriving at the wind farm on Wednesday.

The longest components are 78.5-metre blades. The two new turbines, manufactured in Germany by Enercon, are expected to begin operating by year-end. They will join two Estonian Eleon turbines and 15 made by Denmark’s Vestas.

The two additions will bring the wind farm to 19 turbines, with average annual output expected to rise to 200 gigawatt-hours. The project was started by Oleg Sõnajalg, who died in a helicopter accident last year. His children are completing the work, said Mikk Sõnajalg, a board member of Aidu Wind.

The wind farm’s detailed plan was approved in 2011. Eleon turbine towers were erected first but stood without blades for an extended period during a dispute between the owners and the state over their height. After an agreement was reached, 17 turbines began producing electricity at Aidu in 2024.

Plans call for 30 turbines in total, but it remains unclear whether or when the final 11 will be built. Eleon Green, which owns two turbines at the wind farm, is responsible for that decision. Luganuse municipality says it wants the project completed across the former oil shale quarry, and its mayor said the turbines no longer interfere with radars.

A total of 120 million euros has been invested in the wind farm. Because the project has taken so long, it qualifies for renewable energy support under the more favourable scheme that was in force until 2021, ERR reported.