Intertek, the leading quality solutions provider to industries worldwide, has successfully completed a long-standing cable package engineering and support contract at London Array, the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
Now in full operation, London Array is set to provide renewable energy to over half a million British homes each year and as part of this extensive project Intertek provided valuable construction, cable engineering and installation support.
The activity began in 2001 and has seen Intertek Energy & Water Consultancy Services (formerly Metoc) carried significant cable routing and feasibility studies during the evolution of the project. These vital studies helped aid the installation of the four export cables, each over 50km in length, to the on and offshore substations, saving vital time and helping the project to meet scheduled completion deadlines.
Throughout the lifecycle of the brief, Intertek provided dedicated on-site cable engineering expertise and resource to the project, thereby enabling the developer and all associated project partners, to help reduce risks and maintain schedule.
“Offshore wind farms have really boosted the industry for UK clean energy growth,” said Frank Beiboer, Managing Director, Intertek Energy & Water Consultancy Services. “Having worked closely with the project development team at London Array since its inception, we’re proud to have played a role in helping bring the initiative online – especially given the sheer size and scale of the project. Through the provision of specialist expertise and dedicated internal personnel, it’s fantastic to be able to celebrate and share this important industry milestone and measure of success.”
Richard Rigg, London Array Project Director , added: “Intertek carried out a number of significant cable routing studies during the development of the London Array Offshore Wind Farm. More recently, Intertek has provided expertise in the form of personnel to manage elements of the installation and commissioning of the four export cables and technical advice in preparation for the transfer of the cables to an Offshore Transmission Owner.”
“While a project of this scale will inevitably experience a variety of challenges, Intertek has consistently produced high quality work that has helped to keep the project on track and has contributed to London Array becoming a real success story for UK energy.”
Separately, in February 2013, Intertek confirmed that it will provide marine advisory services for offshore surveys and export cable installation to Réseau de Transporte d’Electricité (RTE), for two French offshore wind projects.
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Press release, June 18, 2013; Image: London Array