Construction of the 300 MW Vetrozelena wind farm near Pančevo is moving into the technical-assurance phase, with the project company seeking a licensed contractor to inspect the infrastructure required before trial and commercial operation.
Vetrozelena is planned as one of Serbia’s largest wind projects and will consist of 48 turbines rated at 6.25 MW each.
The project company has opened a tender for the technical inspection process, with bids due by 31 August. The selected contractor will assess completed elements of the complex and provide documentation needed as different sections progress toward trial operation and eventual licensing.
The scope extends well beyond the wind turbines. The inspection covers 12 facilities and functional units, including the project’s 35/400 kV substation, a 7.5-kilometre 400 kV transmission line and the second phase of the Cibuk 1 switchyard.
Licensed specialists will review construction works, design documentation and equipment certificates, checking whether the completed infrastructure complies with permits, approved designs and Serbian technical regulations. Any identified deficiencies will have to be recorded and addressed.
Inspection will take place in stages, with separate preliminary and final reports prepared for individual parts of the project. The contractor will also deliver assessments required for trial operation and assemble supporting documentation for the eventual operating permit.
The grid connection itself is being delivered by Elnos Srbija. Its scope includes four 90 MVA transformers, a six-bay 400 kV switchyard, the transmission line and associated distribution and telecommunications works. Sinohydro Corporation, part of PowerChina Construction Group, is participating in the broader construction programme.
The main construction timetable began after EPC contractors received their notice to proceed on 15 May. Works are expected to require approximately two years, while the completed wind farm has been designed for an operating life of roughly 30 years.
The size of the electrical connection package underscores Vetrozelena’s system significance. A 300 MW wind project connected through dedicated 400 kV infrastructure is not simply another generating asset; its commissioning requires transmission-scale substations, transformers and switchyard works to move a large volume of variable generation into Serbia’s high-voltage network. The current tender marks another step from physical construction toward the compliance, testing and permitting process needed before that capacity can begin commercial operation.
