The second offshore substation platform (OSP) has been installed at the 857 MW Triton Knoll wind farm offshore Lincolnshire, the UK.
The installation of OSP East, the last of the project’s two OSPs, was carried out by Seaway Strashnov overnight on Monday 15 June.
“This is an important step in ensuring we remain on track, ready for turbine installation and export of first power early next year,” Julian Garnsey , Project Director for Triton Knoll and innogy said.
“Amid the challenges of the current climate, the safe completion of these installations is a great achievement, and testament to the teams of contractors and project personnel who have helped make this happen.”
Triton Knoll consists of two 1,200 tonne offshore substation platforms, OSP West and OSP East, using the Siemens Energy Offshore Transformer Module© technology.
The first phase of commissioning of OSP West is almost complete, and will be repeated on OSP East over the next few weeks.
Together with OSP West, which was installed in April, OSP East will convert the electricity generated by the project’s 90 MHI Vestas 9.5 MW turbines and transmit it to the landfall connection along the two 50-kilometre subsea export cables.
An initial 25-kilometre stretch of export cable has already been installed from the landfall north of Anderby Creek in Lincolnshire, establishing a connection between the onshore and offshore electrical infrastructure for the first time.
Mark Pilling , Managing Director, Transmission Solutions, Siemens Energy Ltd, said: “Installation of both OSPs is a significant milestone in this project. Now this has been completed we can begin commissioning work to get the wind farm ready to connect to the grid to provide the clean, green renewable power needed to reach net zero.”