The crane vessel Oleg Strashnov has installed the first monopile at the Dudgeon offshore wind farm, located off Norfolk, England.
“Our team and suppliers have worked hard to prepare for the exciting installation phase and we are pleased to progress according to plan,” said Olav-Bernt Haga , project director for the Dudgeon project.
In total, 67 turbines, as well as one 1,000-ton offshore substation, will be installed at the wind farm site. When completed in 2017, the wind farm will have a capacity of 402 MW, delivering an annual production of up to 1.7 TWh.
Statoil, the project’s operator, said a number of British suppliers are involved in the construction, and at least 70 local jobs will be created directly in the O&M phase, with additional jobs indirectly in the supply chain.
The project’s operations and maintenance base in Great Yarmouth.
Statoil is in charge of the Dudgeon offshore wind farm in the development, commissioning and O&M phases. Co-owners in the project are Statkraft and Masdar. The total investment in the offshore wind farm, which was officially approved in 2014, is estimated at £1.5 billion.
The Dudgeon project is being developed near the 317 MW Sheringham Shoal wind farm, also developed by Statoil and Statkraft, which has been operational since 2012.