Export cable installation marks official start of offshore construction on world’s largest wind farm

Offshore construction work has now officially started on what will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm with the installation of the first length of the HVDC export cable off the Yorkshire coast.

NKT has commenced work on the laying of the nearshore cable for Dogger Bank A, the first of the three 1.2 GW phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, that will connect the wind farm to a landfall point at Ulrome, in East Riding of Yorkshire.

The company will use its cable-laying vessel NKT Victoria to install the 320kV DC subsea cable system.

Export cable installation, which will continue during 2022, is supported by Aberdeenshire-based ACE Winches and LMR Drilling UK Ltd of Birkenhead, among other companies.

Work on the export cables for Dogger Bank B in East Riding and Dogger Bank C on Teesside will start in 2023 and 2024, respectively, with NKT in charge of supply and install the onshore and offshore HVDC cable for all three phases of the project.

“This is an exciting time for everyone involved in this project as we celebrate installing the first nearshore HVDC export cable safely and on-time” said Dogger Bank Wind Farm Project Director Steve Wilson.

“With the first foundations due to be installed later this year and the first turbines scheduled for installation in 2023, we’re now well on our way to achieving first power from this unrivalled global renewable energy asset”.

According to SSE Renewables, Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be the first HVDC connected wind farm in the UK.

The 3.6 GW offshore wind farm will comprise 277 GE Haliade-X 13 MW and GE Haliade-X 14 MW wind turbines scheduled to deliver the first electricity in 2023. Once fully commissioned in 2026, it will be capable of providing around five per cent of the UK’s electricity.

The project is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40 per cent), Equinor (40 per cent) and Eni Plenitude (20 per cent).

SSE Renewables is leading the construction and delivery of all three phases, while Equinor will operate the wind farm on completion. The total investment in Dogger Bank Wind Farm is expected to be around GBP 9 billion (EUR 10.7 billion).