Suzlon Group wins first Uruguay order; contract for 65 MW project

Suzlon Group, the world's fifth largest wind energy company, today said it had obtained its first contract in Uruguay for a 65 MW project.

The project, located in the southern Department of Colonia in Uruguay, is being developed by Rouar SA, a unique joint venture between UTE Uruguay's state owned utility, and Brazilian utility Eletrobras, the largest in Latin America.

The wind farm will be supplied with 31 units of the S95 2.1 MW wind turbine with a hub height of 90 metres, part of Suzlon's S9X portfolio optimised for medium to low wind regimes.

Suzlon would be responsible for full EPC delivery for the project, scheduled for completion in September 2014.

Gonzalo Casaravi lla, president UTE underlined the strategic importance of starting the partnership with Eletrobras in a generation plant, and welcomed the fact in a wind energy project, a resource proven to be one of the most important natural energy resources of the region.

Casaravi said, ''We hope this first experience with Suzlon will be successful, and accomplish with our demanding project deadlines and quality standards''.

According to Suzlon chairman Tulsi Tanti, this is a major order for the company and a big step forward in Suzlon's push into South America.

Tanti said, "We are very pleased to deliver our first project in Uruguay, and to partner with both UTE and Eletrobras through Rouar S.A., and look forward to a long and constructive relationship.''

''This order not only underscores our technology focus on medium and low wind regimes, but also our emerging markets strategy. We believe South America will drive major growth in wind energy, which provides sustainable solutions that balance the region's growing need for power to drive development, against the need to protect a diverse and fragile environment.''