DONG Energy has appointed Jones Bros to help build new quayside infrastructure for the 659MW Walney Extension offshore wind farm being built in the Irish Sea.
Jones Bros was called to fix steel columns to a harbour wall to restrain pontoons at Associated British Ports’ existing dock basin in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
Divers worked below the water level using specialist grout to fix steel frames to the existing harbour wall. A total of 8 11.4 metre steel pontoon guiderails were then bolted above and below water to the frames.
The GBP 4.3 million contract also includes Jones Bros building foundations for new offices and a warehouse, new service connections, a substation, large car park, reinforced concrete pavements, lighting and CCTV installation.
The work is on track for completion by the end of this month.
“Jones Bros construction works are nearing completion, although we expect to be on site until March 2018 overseeing the remaining enabling works in our role as principal contractor,” Patrick Bailey , Jones Bros contract manager, said.
“The job has gone well and has been a good demonstration of our capacity in coastal and marine infrastructure construction.”
Walney Extension’s turbine components and foundations are being stored in Belfast and the construction is coordinated from the port of Barrow, which already hosts the operating and maintenance teams for three other DONG Energy offshore wind farms, Barrow, Walney and West of Duddon Sands.
The wind farm, consisting of 40 8MW MHI Vestas and 47 7MW Siemens wind turbines, started generating first electricity in September.
It is scheduled for completion in 2019 when it will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm.