RWE Innogy has acquired ENOVA Energieanlagen GmbH, which is part of the ENOVA Group.

This acquisition includes the rights to the offshore wind project North Sea Windpower 3 (NSWP3). Following the acquisition, the wind farm will be renamed Innogy Nordsee 1.

Upon approval from the authorities, this will be the largest planned offshore wind farm off the German coast with an anticipated 960 megawatts capacity. It is to be built 40 kilometres north of the North Sea island of Juist, with a area of around 150 km2.

According to RWE, RWE Innogy and ENOVA expect to receive the approval by the end of 2009; initial preparations could then start in 2010. The first wind turbines should start running as early as 2011. The whole wind farm is expected to be completed in 2015. The total investment for the project is around €2,8bn.

"Innogy Nordsee 1 is to be built 40 kilometres north of the North Sea island of Juist in water which is 26 to 34 metres deep. 150 to 180 wind turbines with a capacity of 5 or 6 megawatts each are planned for the wind farm. Site tests suggest that it can run at just under 4,000 full-load hours and can therefore supply a total of over three TWh of electricity per year," stated the company.

"For an offshore wind farm, that is a comparatively good figure. This quantity is enough to supply electricity to at least 780,000 households. The negotiations with REpower concerning a framework agreement for up to 250 wind turbines with a capacity of 5 or 6 megawatts each are at a very advanced stage; we expect the contract to be signed at the beginning of next year."