Works on the export cables which will bring ashore the energy generated by the 400MW Rampion offshore wind farm are scheduled to gather pace in the next couple of weeks, according to a notice to mariners issued by the Newhaven Port Authority.
VBMS is expected to deploy its cable lay barge NP 289 (former Stemat 89) at the beginning of the next week to the installation site off Sussex to start offshore cable jointing on the wind farm’s Eastern export cable. The vessel is currently mobilising for the project in the Netherlands.
VBMS installed the two 16-kilometre 150kV HVAC export cables at the site in December 2016. Subsequently, VBMS won the contract to provide export cable jointing services on Rampion via a separate tender, the company’s spokesperson told Offshore WIND.
The GBP 1.3 billion Rampion wind farm comprises 116 MHI Vestas 3.45MW wind turbines, the first one of which was installed in March 2017.
The project, owned by E.ON, the UK Green Investment Bank plc and Canadian energy company Enbridge, is due to be completed and operational in 2018.
NOTE: The original article was edited at 9:15 AM, Tuesday, 11 July. The original article incorrectly stated that the cable lay vessel CS Recorder was expected to start working on the wind farm’s export cables this week.