PLANS for four giant wind turbines costing £14.3million on the shores of the Milford Haven waterway have taken a significant step forward.

Developers Infinergy and infrastructure company John Laing have joined forces in the four-turbine wind project at Wear Point and secured finance for the project.

Wear Point Wind Ltd, a consortium consisting of John Laing and wind developers Infinergy has achieved financial backing on the 8.2MW Wear Point Wind Farm, to be located on disused industrial land owned by oil storage company SemLogistics at Waterston.

The plans for the wind farm have been developed by Infinergy and planning permission was granted in May 2010 by Pembrokeshire County Council.

It is anticipated that the facility will generate enough electricity to meet the needs of about 4,500 homes per year.

The wind turbine technology, hubs, blades and a full 15-year service package will be provided by REpower UK while the towers are anticipated to be produced by Mabey Bridge in Chepstow.

Each MM82 wind turbine will have a generating capacity of 2.05MW. The overall height of the turbines will be 99.9m, in keeping with the chimney on site.

Infinergy and its parent company KDE Energy will provide the day to day management services for the project.

The balance of plant contractor will be Raymond Brown Cymru from Bridgend, who tendered successfully again after having constructed Infinergy’s Castle Pill and Ferndale Wind Farms in Wales.

The total net investment for Wear Point Wind Farm will be £14.3m, of which a significant amount is said to be flowing into the Welsh economy.

Work to install the wind turbines and supporting site infrastructure is due to start early next year and the project is scheduled to be fully operational by the end of 2013.