First Subsea Cable Connectors for Fukushima Wind Farm

First Subsea has supplied cable connectors to the Fukushima floating pilot wind farm project, offshore Japan. The connectors are being used to connect 66kV and 22kV cables to a 2MW wind turbine and floating substation. The facility’s floating 66kV power sub-station is the first of its kind for the offshore wind energy industry.

The Fukushima floating pilot wind farm project, which is headed up by The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan, will lay the foundation for the world’s largest offshore wind development off the coast of the Fukushima Prefecture.

Vessel Time Savings with Diverless Cable Connection

Three First Subsea cable connectors have been deployed on the Fukushima wind farm. The diverless cable connection provided significant savings in vessel time, and greater installation flexibility to cope with changes in weather conditions offshore.

The First Subsea cable connector has a self-activating mechanism allowing diverless deployment offshore. The male connectors are guided into receptacles on the wind turbine and substation and, once engaged, cannot be released until the load has been removed. A simple disengage mechanism allows the connector to be released and recovered for re-use.

“The ability to provide a high integrity, cable connection that is simple and quick to deploy, yet easy to remove, are what makes the First Subsea cable connector ideal for offshore wind and wave renewable energy projects”, says John Shaw, managing director, First Subsea Ltd.

Focus on Renewable Energy

The Japanese Government has decided to accelerate the move to renewable technologies, and the Fukushima Wind Farm project is a major milestone in the switch from nuclear to renewable energy for the region. The project known as Fukushima FORWARD is part of a bigger scheme to reconstruct the area.

During the wind farm’s pilot phase, engineers are conducting an experimental study of power systems, leading to development of a common platform for floating offshore wind power.

First Subsea – Renewable Energy Connectors

In addition to the wind turbine cable connector, First Subsea supplies a number of diverless and ROVless connection systems for the construction of offshore winds and wave devices that significantly reduce installation and vessel times compared with traditional subsea deployment methods. These include a Nacelle Connector for the installation for subsea turbine structures, and a fibre rope Tether Connector for subsea mooring.

Press Release, November 14, 2013