Sabella’s D10 tidal turbine produces first power

Sabella has connected its D10 tidal turbine with the Ushant island, France.

The cable connection operation was successfully completed on September 21, following several delays during previous months.

Bourbon’s Argonaut tugboat, provided by the French Navy, was used to connect the cable jumper with the export cable.

The Argonaut vessel was already used by Sabella to lay the subsea cable for its 1 MW D10 turbine in May this year.

The two half-connectors for the cables were raised to the deck after which they were connected and sealed, and then finally rested on the seabed.

After running the basic tests to check the sensors on the turbine, the brakes were loosened and D10 tidal turbine started producing first power.

In the coming days, it will be connected to the electricity grid of the Ushant island.

The cost of the project is estimated to be between €13-14 mln in total, and the power produced from the turbine will cover 15-20% of the Ushant island’s electricity consumption needs.

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Image: Sabella