Neart na Gaoithe export cables hooked up to OSS jackets

Offshore export cables for the Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm have been hooked up onto the project’s two offshore substation (OSS) jacket foundations.

The export cable hook up and burial campaign was completed on 2 September with the cables laid by the cable laying vessel Cable Enterprise and buried into the seabed by Normand Pacific.

The Service Operation Vessel EDT Protea is remaining on site to assist with the final commissioning of the topside and platform of the two offshore substations, according to the project’s latest Notice to Mariners.

The vessel is supporting the works by providing the transfer of technicians and equipment to and from the offshore substation jacket substructures and offshore substation topside, with two crew transfer vessels (CTVs), Forth Engineer and Rix Lion, also being utilised to support the final commissioning works.

Walk-to-work and crew transfer vessel coordination services are being provided by Briggs Marine, which secured a long term charter of the DP3 vessel EDT Protea, and is coordinating the 24-hour operation with its offshore personnel.

The first of the wind farm’s two offshore substation was installed in June by Heerema Marine Contractors, using the world’s largest crane vessel Sleipnir.

The 450 MW wind farm, jointly owned by EDF Renewables and ESB, is being built 15 kilometres off the coast of Fife, Scotland.

Neart na Gaoithe will comprise 54 Siemens Gamesa 8 MW wind turbines which are scheduled to be put into full operation in 2024.

Once fully operational, the offshore wind farm will supply enough electricity for around 375,000 homes and offset over 400,000 tonnes of Co2 emissions each year.

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