Ndurance Readies to Lay Final Galloper Export Cable

VBMS’ cable laying vessel Ndurance will arrive off the coast of Sizewell on 30 April, weather permitting, to install the second and final export cable for the 336MW Galloper offshore wind farm, Galloper Wind Farm Limited said.

“The vessel will setup on anchors approximately 300 metres from the Sizewell coast and it is anticipated to remain there for up to seven days, weather dependent, whilst the final cable is installed,”  Toby Edmonds, Project Director of Galloper Wind Farm Limited said.

The cable will bring the power generated from the offshore wind farm to the onshore substation that will connect to the National Grid. The works will be completed, and the site at Sizewell beach demobilized this summer, with the beach being returned to its original condition, Galloper Wind Farm Limited said.

Whilst there will be visible activity, the beach will remain open outside of the designated construction areas which will be clearly signposted, the developer said.

“Due to the nature of the work much of it has to be done during favorable tidal and weather conditions and this year some of that work does coincide with public holidays but we will of course do our best to minimize any disruption whilst construction activity is ongoing,” Edmonds said.

Galloper offshore wind farm, located approximately 30 kilometres off the coast of Suffolk, is an extension of the existing and fully operational Greater Gabbard and will comprise 56 Siemens wind turbines, each with a capacity of 6MW.

Project partner innogy SE is leading the development and construction of the GBP 1.5 billion wind farm on behalf of all of the project partners, including Siemens Financial Services, UK Green Investment Bank, and Macquarie Capital.

The offshore construction phase started in June 2016 and is expected to be completed in late 2017. The wind farm is expected to be commissioned in early 2018.