REpower to Expand Wind Turbine Business in Northern Germany

In the agreement with the Osterronfeld local authority and Wirtschaftsforderungsgesellschaft des Kreises Rendsburg-Eckernforde, REpower will apply for permission and construct an administration as well as a production building if the requirements for the planning laws are met.

All other administration and production locations of REpower Systems AG in Germany (Hamburg, Husum, Trampe/Brandenburg, Osnabruck as well as the future product facility in Bremerhaven) remain unchanged or are to be extended.

Prospective costs for the new port, including the development of the industrial area bordering the wharfage are expected to be Euro 15 million [US$20.6 million]. The cost for the new port's technical equipment, with cranes, vehicles, a heavy-duty pontoon and a plant is estimated to be approximately Euro 17 million. In the first stage of development, capital investment from REpower will be approximately Euro 16 million.

"Osterronfeld is ideal for us, as it offers the best conditions for production and logistics," said Prof. Dr. Fritz Vahrenholt, CEO of REpower Systems AG. "By doing this we can ensure our growth onshore and offshore, with REpower machinery from Osterronfeld."

"The new port is to be promoted extensively by funds from the European Union, the Federal Republic of Germany and of the State of Schleswig-Holstein," said Dr. Gerald Gehrtz, Managing Director of WFG. "This assumes that the port is also available for other users. We will support the development of a logistics center for the handling of wind turbines here."