High voltage engineering specialist EDS HV Management has been appointed to act on behalf of EDF Energy Renewables (EDF ER) as owner’s engineers monitoring the cable manufacture for the 41.5MW Blyth offshore wind demonstration project in Northumberland.
The offshore wind farm, located 5.7km off the North East coast will initially comprise of 5 optimised MHI Vestas 8.3MW turbines, although it has consent for up to 15 turbines when fully constructed.
The project will be the first ever to use 66kV cable . As owner’s engineer, EDS HV Management will monitor the cable on a 24/7 basis during manufacturing, testing and transportation. This includes, amongst other things, reviewing and advising on the design of the cable, and offering expertise on testing and quality assurance throughout the process.
Ryan Henderson, EDS HV Management Group Director said: “We are delighted to offer our services as Owner’s Engineer to EDF. The move towards 66kV requires a whole new set of required skills and competence and as a business we are constantly investing to stay ahead of the game. Having already established a relationship with EDF ER through our work at Teesside Offshore Wind Farm, we are delighted that our expertise has again been recognised with the award of this highly significant contract.”
Back in July, EDS HV signed a contract with VBMS to carry out cable termination and testing at the Blyth demo wind farm.
The scope of work for VBMS includes the supply and installation of a total of approximately 14 kilometres of export and inter-array cable, the landfall pull ashore, and testing, terminations and commissioning services.
VBMS will be using one or more of its cable-laying vessels and burial tools and has contracted Nexans as the supplier for the 66kV inter-array cables. Work is scheduled to commence in 2017. The wind farm is expected to be up and running by the 3rd quarter of 2017.