DONG Energy has decided to invest in the construction of three new windmills at the Avedøre plant in Hvidovre outside Copenhagen. The project, which will attain a combined between 10 and 15 MW, will be built in two stages, with two windmills coming into operation in 2009 and one in 2010. The total anticipated investment is DKK 185 million.

“At Avedøre Holme you will, in the future, be able to see efficient energy production from a high-efficient multi-fuel power plant alongside renewable energy in its best form. The image of the windmills and Avedøre Power Station will thus be a significant landmark for Denmark in connection with the climate summit in Copenhagen next autumn", says DONG Energy CEO Anders Eldrup.

The project is to function as a demonstration area and provide DONG Energy with the opportunity to assess and demonstrate new technologies, and thus gain insights into the windmills' suitability for future offshore projects.

In connection with the building of the three new windmills between 20 and 100 metres out to sea, 13 old windmills - which are situated on land and have a combined capacity of less than 5 MW - will be disassembled.

The project has received an establishment permit from the Danish Energy Agency and DONG Energy expects to begin construction work in January 2009.

The subject of this announcement will not alter DONG Energy's expected financial results for the 2008 financial year, which, as previously announced, are expected to be significantly higher than 2007, when EBITDA reached DKK 9.6 billion and results after taxes totalled DKK 3.3 billion.

Tags: DONG Energy