Enel, through its Greek renewables subsidiary Enel Green Power Hellas S.A. (“EGPH”), has begun construction of the Kafireas wind power complex located on the southern part of the island Evia island, slightly northeast of the wider Athens area, in the municipality of Karistos, the company announced in a statement released today.
Once completed, the new facility will have a total installed capacity of 154 MW and rank as the country’s largest wind farm.
“The start of construction of Kafireas marks a new step for Enel’s presence in Greece, where we possess a decade-long experience in the renewables sector”, said Antonio Cammisecra, Head of Enel Green Power. “With this new facility we are not only committed to providing green and sustainable energy to the country, but also promoting the social and economic development of local communities by adopting the shared value approach for the construction and operation of this wind complex,” he added.
Enel will invest approximately 300 million euros in the construction of Kafireas, which is expected to begin operating in the first quarter of 2019 and be supported by a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with LAGIE, Greece’s Electricity Market Operator.
Kafireas, which will feature a high voltage (150kV) interconnection line to the mainland comprising overhead, submarine and underground cables, will be able to generate approximately 483 GWh per year, equivalent to the annual energy consumption needs of around 129,000 Greek households, while avoiding the emission of nearly 433,000 tons of CO2 each year.
EGPH already operates two wind farms in the municipality of Karistos, the 7.5 MW Iliolousti I and the 9 MW Iliolousti II. The company is a leading owner and operator of renewable energy plants in Greece with 308 MW of installed capacity from wind, hydro and solar power.
Enel Green Power, the Renewable Energies division of Enel Group, is dedicated to the development and operation of renewables across the world, with a presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Enel Green Power is a global leader in the green energy sector with a managed capacity of 38 GW across a generation mix that includes wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and hydropower, and is at the forefront of integrating innovative technologies like storage systems into renewables power plants.