SSE has announced the successful completion of Viking Wind Farm development in Shetland.

The 434MW wind farm has entered full operations, providing homegrown clean energy in the windiest part of the UK. It will be the most productive onshore wind farm in the country, capable of powering close to half a million homes each year.

SSE Renewables began construction of Viking Wind Farm in 2020 with 103 Vestas turbines successfully installed. The turbines are capable of generating around 1.8TWh of renewable electricity annually.

At peak construction, Viking Wind Farm created around 400 jobs with a further 35 full-time local operation and maintenance jobs expected throughout its lifetime. More than 70 local companies have also benefited from the SSE Renewables project, with around £80m spend in the local supply chain.

It's also estimated that Viking's community fund will contribute more than £70m to the local Shetland economy over the lifetime of the wind farm, the largest in the UK.

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Heather DonaldDirector of Onshore Wind, Solar & Battery (GB & Ireland) – SSE Renewables, said: "We're thrilled to enter commercial operations at Viking Wind Farm and to be generating homegrown clean energy here on Shetland.

"It's a fantastic achievement to reach this stage after four years of construction at the site and we are now capable of powering close to half a million homes at what will be the UK's most productive onshore wind farm.

"The project has provided a boost in employment and the local economy for Shetland, and as we enter commercial operations, the island will now benefit from the Viking Community Fund which will ensure locals continue to benefit throughout the life span of the wind farm."

Nils de BaarPresident of Vestas Northern and Central Europe: said:

"Entering commercial operations is a fantastic milestone for the Viking wind farm and good news for the UK as a whole and its ambition to further decarbonise the energy market.

The Viking project is unlocking value for decades to come, creating green jobs and supporting the local economy. We are proud to be involved and would like to thank SSE and the Shetland community for the great collaboration over the last few years."

Viking's completion now takes the UK's combined onshore and offshore wind capacity to more than 30GW, enough to meet the annual power needs of 26 million homes and cut carbon emissions by more than 35 million tonnes per year.

It coincides with the energisation of SSEN Transmission's 260km (160 mile) subsea link which will transport electricity between Shetland and the GB mainland.

Together, the projects represent more than £1bn of investment by businesses within the SSE Group. They are part of a £20.5bn commitment the Perth-headquartered business is making to clean energy infrastructure in the UK to 2027 – one of the largest private investment programmes the country has ever seen.