Offshore Substation at Inch Cape Wind Farm Site Installed by Heerema's Sleipnir
The Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm, located in the North Sea, has reached a significant milestone with the successful installation of its offshore substation platform and jacket foundation. This platform, a Siemens Energy Offshore Transformer Module (OTM) mounted on a 68-meter jacket foundation and weighing 2,700 tonnes, was installed by Heerema Marine Contractors using the semi-submersible crane vessel Sleipnir.
This double OTM, featuring two circuits with two transformers and reactors, is a first for Siemens Energy. The installation marks a significant step forward for the Inch Cape offshore wind farm project, which is owned by Inch Cape Limited, a joint venture between ESB and Red Rock Renewables.
The offshore wind farm, with a capacity of approximately 1.1 GW (1,080 MW), is currently under construction and progressing on schedule. The installation of the first export cable is scheduled for late summer 2025. Once completed, the wind farm is expected to produce first power in late 2026 and be fully commissioned the following year.
The construction of the wind farm's onshore substation and landfall works in Cockenzie, East Lothian, are well advanced. The project reached financial close in early 2025, securing over £3.5 billion (US$4.4 billion) in funding from a consortium of 22 commercial banks.
The manufacturing and assembly of the OTM and foundation took place at the Smulders yard in Wallsend, Newcastle, involving over 250 workers and 80 UK subcontractors. This offshore wind farm, expected to produce annual generation near 5 terawatt hours, enough to power half of Scotland’s homes, is Scotland's largest under construction.
Paul Lennon, Head of Hydrogen and Long-Term Storage at ESB, stated that reaching this milestone is significant for the Inch Cape project. With the major offshore structures installed, export cable installation forthcoming, and commercial operation expected by 2027, the Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm is indeed making substantial progress.
[1] Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm: Major Milestone Achieved with Offshore Substation Installation - offshorewind.biz [2] Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm: Offshore Substation Installed - energylivenews.com [3] Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm Secures £3.5 Billion in Funding - renews.biz [4] Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm: Construction Update - windpowerengineering.com [5] Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm: A Look at the Project's Progress - offshorewind.biz
- The success in installing the offshore substation at the Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm signifies a crucial step forward, not only for the project but also for the energy industry, as it marks a significant advancement in the finance and technology sectors, related to offshore wind power.
- The Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm project, with its transformative approach in energy production, has effectively stirred considerable interest within the finance, industry, and technology market, as the wind farm is anticipated to significantly contribute to Scotland's power generation, striving to provide energy autonomy for half of Scotland’s homes.
