Offshore cabling works to start at Taiwan Power’s Changhua Phase 1 OWF

Installation of export and inter-array subsea cables at Taiwan Power Company’s Changhua Phase 1 offshore wind farm are set to start on 15 June.

The work will be carried out by Jan De Nul’s cable-laying vessels (CLVs) Isaac Newton and Willem de Vlamingh, with the support of Volstad Maritime’s OSV Grand Canyon II.

JDR Cable Systems delivered the subsea cables and accessories to Jan De Nul earlier this year. The cable supplier designed and manufactured 65 kilometres of inter-array and export cable, which were loaded onto the Isaac Newton for transport to Taiwan.

The Changhua offshore wind farm contract was awarded to the Jan De Nul-Hitachi consortium in April 2018. 

Under the contract, Jan De Nul is responsible for the design, fabrication and installation of the foundations, the installation of the wind turbines, the supply and installation of the onshore and offshore cables, as well as for the upgrading of the substation.

The onshore cable installation activities for the project started back in 2018, and were subcontracted to Taiwanese company Star Energy Corporation. 

Hitachi is in charge of manufacturing, assembly, operation and maintenance, and other works related to the offshore wind turbines.

The 109.2 MW Changhua Phase 1 project, located off the coast of Fangyuan in Central Western Taiwan, will comprise 21 5.2 MW offshore wind turbines with a downwind rotor. A particular feature of the design is that the foundations and wind turbines are designed to withstand cyclonic waves and winds, and earthquake loads, according to the Jan De Nul-Hitachi consortium.

The first four-legged jacket foundations for the project were loaded at Samkang’s fabrication yard in South Korea in May. All 21 jackets are expected to be in Taiwan over the coming several days. Jan De Nul subcontracted the transport of the jacket foundations to Taiwan-based Hung Hua Construction.