First Triton Knoll offshore substation in place

The first Triton Knoll offshore substation platform (OSP) is now standing at its designated location at the project site. The offshore wind farm will comprise two offshore substations: OSP East and OSP West.

The heavy-lift installation vessel Seaway Strashnov installed the 1,400-tonne OSP West in the morning of 12 April.

Manchester-based Siemens Energy designed the substations and Smulders, in partnership with ENGIE Fabricom, manufactured the structures.

Key infrastructure for both OSPs has been constructed in Manchester, Newcastle and Scotland, innogy highlighted.

Smulders and Fabricom fabricated the two specialist monopile foundations, transition pieces and cable decks at Smulders’ Wallsend facility near Newcastle.

Furthermore, Scottish manufacturer JGC delivered several offshore container modules that will house critical electrical equipment for the offshore substations.

Another Manchester-based company, Granada Material Handling, provided davit crane units for both platforms.

The two OSPs will receive electricity generated by Triton Knoll’s 90 MHI Vestas v164-9.5 MW turbines and convert it for transfer to the landfall connection. Two export cables, which will transfer the electricity to land, will be installed this summer.

Seaway 7’s vessel Seaway Strashnov is also installing the wind farm’s foundations. The vessel installed the first foundation at the Triton Knoll site in January.

The 857 MW offshore wind farm is located 32 kilometres off the Lincolnshire coast. Once fully operational, Triton Knoll will be capable of generating renewable energy equivalent to the needs of over 800,000 UK households.