UK, England, Newcastle-ipon-Tyne: The offshore substation platform and jacket foundation for the Inch Cape offshore wind farm have left the Smulders yard in Wallsend and are en route to their final location off the Angus coast in Scotland.
Departing on 30 July, the Siemens Energy Offshore Transformer Module (OTM) and its 68-m jacket foundation began their journey down the River Tyne aboard the Heerema Marine Contractors barge H-406, heading into the North Sea.
Marking a major milestone, the OTM is the first of its kind to feature a double-circuit design, delivering increased capacity and efficiency. The platform, weighing nearly 3,000 t, along with the jacket foundation, was fully fabricated at the Wallsend facility, supported by around 80 UK-based suppliers.
The structures were developed for Inch Cape Offshore Limited, a joint venture between ESB and Red Rock Renewables. Once the OTM and jacket are installed 15 km offshore, the project team will begin the critical hook-up and commissioning phase.
This substation will play a key role in exporting renewable energy generated by the wind farm to the onshore grid, supporting the UK’s clean energy transition.
Source: offshorewind.biz
