A detailed design of the Offshore SwitchYard (OSY) platform for the Modular Offshore Grid project being developed by Belgian transmission system operator Elia will soon be open for construction tendering, Ramboll informed.
Elia issued a call for tenders for the installation of the OSY platform in January and for its fabrication in May .
Ramboll’s detailed design package consists of multiple disciplines such as electrical, safety, topsides structure, and jacket design.
Once the package will be put out for tender, Ramboll will assist the client during the tendering phase, the company stated.
In December 2016 , Elia awarded Ramboll the detailed design of an OSY platform to stepwise connect four planned offshore wind farms to the onshore grid connection point in Zeebrugge.
The wind farms won’t be constructed simultaneously, therefore the offshore grid will take on a modular concept that is flexible and allows a multiphase development. The whole setup is facilitated by an OSY substation that is able to receive power not only from one, but from multiple wind farms regardless of the time of construction. This will ensure fewer cables on the seabed and less costs in terms of construction and maintenance.
Ramboll performed detail design of all structural, mechanical, piping and electrical, instrument and telecom systems. The scope of work also included an optimisation study, an operation and maintenance study, and procurement. As basis for the detailed design, Ramboll defined philosophies and strategies for safety, and operation and maintenance as well as requirements for mechanical completion and commissioning.
The OSY platform will be situated up to 45 kilometres off Belgian North Sea coast, in water depths between 30 and 35 metres.
Elia’s board of directors approved the EUR 400 million MOG project in April 2017.
New offshore wind farms like Rentel, Northwester 2, Mermaid, and Seastar will be able to connect to MOG and feed wind energy directly into the Belgian grid, even when there is a loss or failure of one of the offshore cables.