The agreement is conditional and comprises the delivery of 30 NM92/2750 wind turbines with Pitch Regulated Variable Speed (PRVS) technology.

Each wind turbine has a nominal output of 2.75MW, with the total installed capacity of the project being 82.5MW. The project has a total value of ? 150m. Work is scheduled to begin next year for completion in 2005.

The Kentish Flats Offshore Windfarm is expected to produce about 280GWh a year, corresponding to the annual energy consumption of 67,000 households, roughly half the total consumption of the nearby towns of Herne Bay, Whitstable and Canterbury.

With a project portfolio of about 500 wind turbines and a combined capacity of more than 400MW, Elsam is the largest windfarm owner in Denmark. This portfolio includes the world's largest offshore windfarm at Horns Rev, which has a capacity of 160MW.

NEG Micon has been active in the UK market for many years and has erected a number of windfarm projects in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

With some 480 employees, it is England's largest employer within the wind power industry.

It produces about a third of its wind turbine blades at its factory on the Isle of Wight, which alone provides about 460 jobs.

The erection and subsequent servicing of the Kentish Flats windfarm is expected to create more local jobs.

The waters around the UK and Ireland have the largest shallow offshore areas with some of the best wind conditions in Europe.

Just under half of the 6,000MW of wind generated power expected to be installed in the UK by 2010 will be offshore.

MJ Information No: 18927