UAE in talks with Ukraine over wind projects

UAE: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government is in talks with power company and Ukraine's biggest wind developer DTEK about a deal to build wind projects in the country.

DTEK owner Rinat Achmetov... ranked by Forbes as the 39th richest man in the world

Preliminary talks between the sides were conducted during a recent visit to the UAE by Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich.

Sources close to DTEK said that the first wind projects may be built in the Abu Dhabi. The city's authorities recently announced plans to source 7% of its power from renewable sources within nine years.

The project is personally promoted by Ukraine’s president, who said Ukrainian investors have all the needed experience for the construction of wind power plants abroad.

At the initial stage the company plans to start one wind power plant in the UAE and, in case of successful commissioning of the first facility, other plants may be built.

DTEK confirmed talks with the UAE were under way but declined to comment further. The company is developing the  DTEK Priazovsky wind cluster, which will eventually reach 200MW. Vestas secured the turbine deal for the project in April.

DTEK accounts for around 30% of the Ukraine's thermal power generation. It is owned by Ukrainian billionaire Rinat Akhmetov. According to Forbes, Akhmetov is the world's 39th richest man with a net worth of around $16 billion.