Nordsee One GmbH officially inaugurated a new operation and maintenance base for the 332MW Nordsee One offshore wind farm in Norddeich, Lower-Saxony, Germany, on Wednesday, 21 September.
Nordsee One, which is currently being built approximately 40km north of the island of Juist, will be operated and serviced from the venue, which comprises offices, a control room, sanitary facilities, a warehouse and a workshop, all located on a site that is approximately 1,500 square meters.
The first office and offshore service staff have already moved into the new building. Once Nordsee One is operational, approximately 70 people will work out of Norddeich on the project.
Some of the offshore service staff provided by the Danish company Semco Maritime GmbH will maintain the foundation structures and the offshore substation. A corresponding five-year service agreement was signed at the beginning of September 2016, during the inauguration of the new Semco subsidiary in Norddeich.
Nordsee One GmbH has also signed a five-year contract for underwater survey and maintenance of the wind farm with Sweden’s NDE Offshore AB.
“We are very pleased to close all main service contracts for the operations phase in this early stage of the project,” Pierre Lestienne, Managing Director (CFO) of Nordsee One GmbH, said.
”The Norddeicher Schiffswerft is providing the required onshore facilities; Senvion will perform all maintenance for the wind turbine generators; Semco will provide maintenance of the 54 monopile foundations as well as the offshore substation topside and jacket foundation and EMS Maritime Offshore is providing the crew transfer vessel. All in, these contracts will provide full-time employment for approximately 44 skilled employees.”
From October 2016 onwards, the newly-built Windea FOUR crew transfer vessel will transfer technicians from Norddeich harbor to the wind farm on a daily basis. The vessel will be loaded with tools and spare parts at the dedicated quay wall.
Once completed, Nordsee One will consist of 54 wind turbines of the type Senvion 6.2M126.All 54 wind turbine foundations, the offshore substation and inter-array cables have already been installed.
Turbine installation is anticipated to start early next year, and the commissioning of the Nordsee One wind farm is expected in 2017.
Nordsee One GmbH is incorporated in Hamburg and owned 85% by Northland Power Inc. and 15% by innogy SE. The purpose of the company is to develop, finance, construct and operate the Nordsee One wind farm.