First turbines undergoing tests at Pienava wind farm
Most turbines at the Pienava Wind farm in Džūkste parish, Tukums municipality, are fully assembled and have entered operational testing. Full-scale electricity production is planned for the first half of 2027.
Most wind turbines at the Pienava Wind farm in Džūkste parish, Tukums municipality, Latvia, are fully assembled and have begun operational testing. Once commissioned, the farm will become the largest wind park in Latvia, with full electricity production planned for the first half of 2027.
Capacity and cost
The farm covers roughly 900 hectares, and its connection to the high-voltage transmission grid also extends into Dobele municipality. Construction is nearing the end of its active phase. The total cost of the project is 215 million euros.
The site has 21 latest-generation turbines from German manufacturer Nordex, each rated at 7 MW, for a combined 147 MW. The farm is expected to generate up to 500 GWh of electricity a year, enough for about 230,000 households. For comparison, the hydro turbines at the Ķegums hydropower plant have an installed capacity of 248 MW, yet Pienava is expected to produce almost as much electricity annually as the whole Ķegums plant on the Daugava river does on average.
Turbine specifications
Each turbine is 250 metres tall in total: a 169-metre tower plus 81.5-metre blades. The rotor diameter is 163 metres. Wind tends to be steadier and stronger at greater height, so the turbine spins even when people on the ground barely feel any breeze. The blade swept area of the new generation is several times larger than in earlier turbines.
Land and local benefit
The farm stands in the Zemgale plain on privately owned farmland. The farm's footprint takes up no more than 2% of the area, about 18 hectares, and does not restrict use of the remaining land. According to K. Novickis, who spoke about the project, wind farms take up much less space than solar parks.
The local municipality and residents will receive 367,500 euros a year, split equally. Given the 35-year service life of the Nordex technology, the total will exceed 12 million euros.
Novickis added that Latvenergo's plan is to build 2.3 GW by 2035, but this depends on demand and the wider energy market situation.
