New wind turbine at Checkley Wood near Leighton Buzzard is now generating electricity

The new wind turbine located at Checkley Wood near Leighton Buzzard is now generating electricity.

The turbine, off the A5, is believed to be England's joint most powerful 4.1MW Vensys Energy turbine and in its first week of operation generated over 177,000 kWh of power.

The project has been installed by Leighton Buzzard-based renewable energy and land development business AWGroup.

South West Bedfordshire MP Andrew Selous visited the control room at the base of the tower last week. He said: "This turbine had local support at the planning stage, and I am pressing the Government to bring forward community benefit schemes to allow local people to benefit from cheaper electricity bills for hosting this important infrastructure. I am also looking forward to seeing the turbine supply the new electric vehicle charging station on the A5 next to it soon."

The onshore turbine is the first to be commissioned and installed since the Government announced a series of changes to the UK’s planning system that will lift the de facto ban on onshore wind. It is capable of producing more than 10,000,000 kWh of power each year, enough to power over 2,500 homes.

Power produced by the turbine will initially connect to the grid in Leighton Buzzard and it is expected that the energy will be consumed by local residents, homes and businesses in the town and surrounding villages.

It will also supply a new ultra-rapid EV charging station and electric bus depot also under construction at AWGroup’s Checkley Wood site, set to open this year.

AWGroup was approached for a comment.