Construction begins on colossal 3.6GW offshore windfarm

The installation of the onshore cabling for the colossal 3.6GW Dogger Bank offshore windfarm in the North Sea has now begun.

The project, which will provide enough power to meet the needs of 4.5 million homes, is spread across three sites, each accounting for 1.2GW of capacity. All three won Contracts for Difference in the latest auction in September 2019 at below current wholesale prices.

The windfarm will make use of the world’s most powerful turbine – GE Renewable’s 12MW Haliade-X model, parts of which are undergoing trials at the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult’s test centre in Blyth. The first generation is expected to take place in 2023.

It is being developed by a joint venture between SSE Renewables and Equinor.

Steve Wilson, managing director of Dogger Bank Wind Farms, said: “Getting the first spade in the ground is a significant milestone on any project, but for what will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm, this is a major moment for a project that has already been over a decade in the making.”

Jones Bros Civil Engineering has been hired to install the onshore cable infrastructure for the Creyke Beck A and B sites, including laying 20 kilometres of power lines in underground ducts across East Riding. The cables will transmit power from the landfall point at Ulrome to two new convertor stations in Beverley.

The company’s contracts director, Garod Evans, said: “We have worked with SSE Renewables on major schemes previously and we are delighted to be developing our partnership through working with them and now Equinor on the onshore works for Dogger Bank Wind Farms.

“There will be up to 100 Jones Bros personnel, from management to apprentices and trainees, on site at the height of the works.”