West of Duddon Sands offshore windfarm generates first power

A 389 megawatts offshore windfarm in North West England has generated electricity for the first time.

The West of Duddon Sands offshore windfarm, located approximately 20km off the Barrow-in-Furness coastline is being developed by ScottishPower Renewables and DONG Energy in the Irish Sea.

Engineers have now installed 42 of the 108 turbines that will make up the overall project. The commissioning process is underway, and power from four turbines is now being exported to the national grid.

Once completed later this year, the windfarm will be capable of generating up to 389 megawatts (MW) of electricity – enough to meet the annual electricity demands of approximately 280,000 homes.

Site work has been underway for two years and more than 1,000 people are currently employed on the project. In this time more than 200 km of cables have been installed and all 108 foundation sections have been completed. The total area covered by the windfarm is 67km², and each individual Siemens turbine has a capacity of 3.6MW.

Keith Anderson, chief executive of ScottishPower Renewables, said: “First power is a significant milestone at West of Duddon Sands, especially given the challenging weather conditions we have seen in recent months, and it gives us confidence that we will be able to fully complete the project later this year.”

The project utilises a new £50 million offshore wind terminal at Belfast Harbour.  The terminal is the first purpose-built offshore wind installation and pre-assembly harbour in the UK and Ireland and supports up to 300 jobs, ranging from welders to electricians and engineers.

“The new development at Belfast Harbour has also been crucial in the progress of the project. The investment in this bespoke facility is a major step forward for the offshore wind industry, and we hope it will act as a blueprint for similar projects at other locations around the UK,” said Anderson.