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Ørsted finishes major construction on 920 MW Taiwan offshore wind farms

Ørsted finishes major construction on 920 MW Taiwan offshore wind farms

Built World

Second gigawatt-scale project brings Greater Changhua cluster to 1.82 GW, powering two million households

September 2nd, 2026: Major construction completed

Overview

Updated Sep 4

Ørsted finished the major construction on its 920 MW Greater Changhua 2b and 4 offshore wind farms off Taiwan's coast on September 2. The 66-turbine project is the company's second gigawatt-scale wind farm in Taiwan.

The Greater Changhua cluster now spans 1.82 GW, enough to power about two million Taiwanese households. The electricity flows to the grid under a 20-year corporate power purchase agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest chipmaker.

Why it matters

TSMC's 20-year wind power deal shows whether corporate buyers can fund gigawatt-scale renewables in Asia.

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Key Indicators

1.82 GW
Greater Changhua cluster capacity
Combined output of the 900 MW Changhua 1 and 2a plus the new 920 MW 2b and 4.
920 MW
New capacity from 2b and 4
Awarded in Taiwan's first competitive price-based offshore wind auction in 2018.
66
Turbines installed
Siemens Gamesa 14 MW SG 14-236 units with 115-meter blades, the largest of their kind.
2 million
Households powered annually
Estimated homes served by the full 1.82 GW cluster.
275 days
Turbine installation campaign
All 66 turbines installed between April 2025 and January 2026.

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People Involved

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Timeline

June 2018 September 2026

9 events Latest: September 2nd, 2026 · 1 week ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date
  1. Major construction completed

    Latest Milestone

    Ørsted completes major construction; ceremony held at Port of Taichung.

  2. All 66 turbines installed

    Construction

    All 66 turbines installed, completing the build-out in 275 days.

  3. First power delivered to grid

    Milestone

    First turbine delivers power to Taiwan's national grid.

  4. Turbine installation starts

    Construction

    Turbine installation starts with Siemens Gamesa 14 MW units.

  5. Offshore construction begins

    Construction

    Offshore construction begins on the 920 MW project.

  6. Changhua 1 and 2a enter operation

    Milestone

    Greater Changhua 1 and 2a, 900 MW, enter operation.

  7. Ørsted reaches final investment decision

    Decision

    Ørsted reaches final investment decision on Greater Changhua 2b and 4.

  8. TSMC signs 20-year power deal

    Contract

    TSMC signs a 20-year corporate power purchase agreement covering the full 920 MW output.

  9. Taiwan awards 920 MW to Ørsted

    Auction

    Taiwan awards Ørsted 920 MW in its first competitive price-based offshore wind auction.

Scenarios

1

Changhua 2b and 4 reach commercial operation on schedule

Likely Resolves by Q3 2026

Discussed by: Ørsted's own guidance

Remaining work is commissioning, electrical testing, and final cable works. Ørsted expects full commercial operation in late Q3 2026.

2

Commissioning slips into Q4 2026

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Industry analysts tracking offshore wind commissioning

Grid testing and offshore cable works can run long. If commissioning drags, commercial operation moves to the fourth quarter.

3

Cathay completes 55% stake in Changhua 2

Likely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Ørsted and Cathay's signed agreement

Cathay Life and Cathay Power will acquire 55% of Ørsted's 632 MW Changhua 2 farm. Closing is planned to coincide with that project's commercial operation.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1991

Vindeby (1991)

Denmark built Vindeby, the world's first offshore wind farm, with 11 turbines totaling 5 MW. It was a test project in shallow water.

Then

Vindeby operated for 25 years before being decommissioned in 2017.

Now

It proved offshore wind was technically feasible, starting an industry that now builds gigawatt-scale farms.

Why this matters now

The contrast is stark: 5 MW in 1991, 920 MW in 2026. It shows how far the technology has come.

2016-2025

Taiwan nuclear phase-out (2016-2025)

Taiwan's government committed to phasing out nuclear power by 2025, closing its three nuclear plants. The policy created a large gap in baseload electricity.

Then

Taiwan turned to natural gas and renewables to fill the gap.

Now

Offshore wind became a pillar of Taiwan's energy plan, with a target of 5.5 GW by 2025.

Why this matters now

The nuclear phase-out created the demand that made the Changhua cluster possible.

2019-2020

Hornsea One (2019-2020)

Ørsted built Hornsea One, a 1.2 GW wind farm 120 km off England's Yorkshire coast. It was the world's first offshore wind farm to exceed 1 GW.

Then

Hornsea One began generating in 2019 and reached full capacity in 2020.

Now

It proved gigawatt-scale offshore wind was buildable, setting the template for projects like Greater Changhua.

Why this matters now

Same developer, same scale. Hornsea showed Ørsted could deliver gigawatt projects; Changhua shows the model works in Asia.

Sources

(7)