ScottishPower Renewables has announced construction work is officially underway at the £300 million Kilgallioch Windfarm.

A total of 96 turbines will be developed at the 32km2 site five kilometres south of Barrhill, South Ayrshire and five kilometres north east of New Luce, Dumfries and Galloway.

ScottishPower Renewables will also build 55km of tracks (along with upgrading 14km of existing forest track) across the site that will link the turbines on the project.

When full operational, Kilgallioch will have a capacity of 239 megawatts (MW), generating enough green electricity to power 130,000 households per year.

Over the anticipated 25 year lifespan of the project, just under £30 million will be made available to support local projects as part of the community benefit fund for the windfarm.


More than 250 jobs will also be supported by the windfarm during construction.

The first turbine deliveries are expected to begin in February 2016, with first power production due in November 2016, followed by full operation of the site in the first half of 2017.

Stuart Mason, Construction Director at ScottishPower Renewables said: "Kilgallioch is a major renewable energy development and a significant construction project. As well as making an important contribution to Scotland's carbon reduction targets, tens of millions of pounds will go towards supporting community projects in the vicinity of the windfarm.

"This will be ScottishPower Renewables' second largest windfarm, and the third largest overall in the UK. We currently have more than 1.5 gigawatts (GW) of installed onshore wind capacity in the UK, and Kilgallioch will help us on our way to achieving a 2 GW milestone – enough to power over 1 million homes."

ScottishPower Renewables first started consultation on Kilgallioch in 2008 before submitting a planning application to the Scottish Government in March 2010.

(LM)