Since 2022, one of the easternmost wind farms in Finland has been under development in Pieksämäki. Covering an area of 2860 hectares, the Sarvikangas farm is planned to have 25 wind turbines and a total output of 200 MW, making it the largest wind farm in Eastern Finland. Energy production is expected to start in 2027–28.
Etha was involved in the project already at the very beginning.
“After we had carried out preliminary studies to evaluate the land area’s suitability for wind power, the project company Sarvikankaan Tuuli Oy was established with our help in 2022. The project engaged Etha as the Project Development Consultant for the project, and all our teams have taken part in it”, says Jessica Dahlfors, Legal Associate and Transaction Manager at Etha.
“In April 2024, the project’s environmental impact assessment (EIA) process was completed, and co-operation agreement with the investor was signed. After this our part in the project was mostly completed”, adds Jukka Rönnlund, Project Manager at Etha and for the Sarvikangas project.
Comprehensive use of Etha’s expertise
In the Sarvikangas project, Etha’s responsibilities included
- project management (risk, stakeholder, time, and budget management etc.)
- project company management (board meetings, invoicing, financial statements etc.)
- preliminary studies
- landowner agreements
- teaser and vendor due diligence report
- partnership finding process, initiating discussions with over 50 investors
- permitting
- management of the environmental impact assessment (EIA)
- management of the field studies
- management of the land use planning process
- technical project design.
Land use plan waits for approval
The next step in the project is to get approval for the land use plan. The goal is to achieve this during 2024.
“This is a significant project for the whole South Savo region. To make the project possible, the South Savo Regional Council is working on a regional land use plan, which in turn allows the municipality to prepare the Sarvikangas farm’s land use plan”, Rönnlund says.
The Sarvikangas project’s timetable
- 2022: Contacting the landowners
- Started 8/2022: Environmental studies
- 2023–24: EIA procedure
- 2023–24: Land use plan
- 2024–25: Wind measurements
- 2025: Building permits
- 2025–26: Investment decision
- 2025–26: Turbine and Balance of Plant procurement
- 2026: Construction starting
- 2028: Operational phase starting