A report of a recently completed study of offshore wind submarine cable spacing, commissioned by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), is now publicly available .
The report, titled “Offshore Wind Submarine Cable Spacing Guidance”, seeks to identify the factors used to determine spacing between submarine power transmission cables.
The objective of the report is to provide regulators and developers best practice guidance with respect to cable spacing for the developing offshore wind industry in U.S. waters. The study was largely based on project experience in the United Kingdom and other European countries with a developed offshore wind industry.
The study recommends a risk-based, holistic approach for cable design that takes into account numerous factors and stakeholder interests. Prescriptive standards are not recommended; rather, a case-by-case approach based on site-specific conditions should be used.
The report provides extensive guidelines for addressing all of the factors and stakeholder interests that can be used when reviewing a cable design for an offshore wind project, or any other offshore project involving power transmission cables.
It also includes the relevant industry standards and guidelines currently in use.
Source: BOEM