Countdown to lift off

04 July 2003

The final countdown to the completion of the UK's tallest wind turbine has begun at Swaffham in Norfolk. Engineers and staff from Ecotricity, the UK's first green electricity company, are busy making preparations for the arrival of the turbine tower and blades that will slot into the concrete and steel base already on site.

Components are to be delivered to the site, located at Sporle Road, Swaffham, Norfolk, on Tuesday July 8th. The spectacular lift into place of the turbine hub and blades will take place on Friday 11th, weather permitting.

When complete the turbine will generate enough power for over 1200 homes and combined with the existing turbine erected in 1999 will supply 75 % of Swaffham's total home electricity requirements, boosting Norfolk's total wind power by 30 %. Swaffham II was built following demands from local people after the success of the town's first turbine.

Dale Vince, managing director of Ecotricity comments, "This turbine is the latest step in our mission to change the way electricity is produced in the UK. Swaffham proves that communities can insist on clean, locally generated power being made available to them, and our new tariff means they can buy green power at the same price as the local supplier."