Staff and equipment working on the construction of the offshore wind farm, Gwynt y Môr, have been mobilised to assist with the rescuing of people from flooded homes in St Asaph.
More than twenty people, along with JCBs and a telehandler, are working with the local authorities to evacuate people stranded in their homes, clear the flood water and fill sand bags.
A new onshore substation for Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm is being constructed south of St Asaph Business Park. It will carry electricity generated by the 160 offshore wind turbines into the National Grid.
Its site manager, Martin Knagg , made the decision to assist the city earlier this morning: “We’re working with the local authorities to provide as much assistance as we can.
“As well as construction equipment which can clear block drains and reinforce flood defences, we’re making our site team available to help the local authorities.
“Already one of the team has rescued an elderly lady from her home using one of our 4×4 vehicles.
“We’re available to do what we can to assist the city of St Asaph and its residents.”
At 576MW, Gwynt y Môr is one of the largest offshore wind farms currently in construction in Europe. It is a shared investment between partners RWE Innogy, Stadtwerke München GmbH and Siemens(2).
Offshore construction at Gwynt y Môr is well underway more than eight miles offshore, with more than 60 foundations and the two offshore substations now in place.
Onshore, the new 400kV Bodelwyddan substation south of St Asaph Business Park is now live and connected to the National Grid. The 132kV substation, on the same site, which takes electricity from the offshore substations, will be connected into the National Grid later this year. The 11km onshore cable route between Pensarn and St Asaph is almost complete.
Gwynt y Môr offshore wind farm is being constructed 13 kilometres off the North Wales coast, in water depths of 12-28 metres, and was granted approval by DECC (Department of Energy and Climate Change) back in December 2008.
It is due to be fully operational in 2014.
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Press release, November 28, 2012; Image: RWE