EDF Energy buys Dorenell onshore wind farm in Scotland

LONDON (Reuters) - EDF Energy’s renewable arm has bought the Dorenell onshore wind farm project in Scotland which could provide electricity for up to 138,000 homes, the company said on Thursday. The plant could generate up to 200 megawatts of electricity and is expected to begin operation in 2018. EDF Energy, the British subsidiary of French utility EDF, will develop and construct the project alongside renewable energy company Infinergy which was previously developing the project, EDF Energy said in a statement. Financial terms were not disclosed. “Today's announcement, just weeks before the international conference on climate change in Paris, confirms EDF Energy's commitment to lead in UK investment in low carbon electricity,” EDF Energy Chief Executive Vincent de Rivaz said. Negotiators from more than 190 countries will meet in Paris from Nov. 30 to work on a United Nations climate deal designed to curb the rise in global temperatures to 2 degrees, a limit which scientists say is important for staving off the worst effects of climate change such as drought and flooding. Britain has announced a swathe of cuts in renewable energy subsidies this year, impacting onshore wind projects which the government said no longer need significant support. The Dorenell project has already secured government backing from the first round of its contacts-for-difference subsidy scheme guaranteeing the projects 82.50 pounds per megawatt hour (MWh) of electricity. Baseload power prices for day-ahead delivery currently trade at around 35.00 pounds per MWh. (Reporting by Susanna Twidale; editing by Jason Neely)