Further progress made on offshore wind farm project

The Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm offshore jacket foundation and substation platform have been successfully installed at the North Sea site.

The Siemens Energy Offshore Transformer Module (OTM) and its 68-metre jacket foundation were positioned last week, 21 kilometres from Arbroath, having been installed by Heerema Marine Contractors’ (HMC) semi-submersible crane vessel Sleipnir.

The compact 2700-tonne platform comprises two circuits with two transformers and reactors, making it Siemens Energy’s first ever double OTM. The modular fabrication, which enables offshore wind platforms to be smaller and lighter than conventional alternating current designs, has now been in use for 10 years.

It took around 18 months for a team of more than 250 at the Smulders yard in Wallsend, Newcastle to fit out and assemble both the OTM and its jacket foundation.

Around 80 local UK sub-contractors supported the project with work that included lifting, scaffolding, engineering and coating.

John Hill, Inch Cape project director, said: “This has been an impressive team effort by Siemens Energy, Smulders, Heerema and the myriad smaller contractors who contributed to ensuring the safe and efficient fabrication and installation of these major Inch Cape components.”

Owned in a 50/50 equal joint venture by ESB and Red Rock Renewables, Inch Cape, is the largest offshore wind farm now in construction in Scotland. Once complete it will generate almost five terawatt hours (TWh) of energy each year or enough to power half the homes in Scotland.

Paul Lennon, Head of Offshore Wind, Hydrogen and Long-Term Storage at ESB, commented: “After successfully reaching financial close earlier this year, this is yet another significant milestone for the Inch Cape project. For us at ESB, along with our partners Red Rock Renewables and the whole project team, getting to this stage has required key expertise and this has been demonstrated by all of those involved in making this happen.

I would particularly like to commend Siemens Energy, Smulders and all other project partners today as we mark this important step. Inch Cape will make a significant contribution to the UK’s climate goals, and we are getting ever closer to that happening.”

Xiaomeng Chen, Red Rock Renewables CEO, added: "The successful installation of the offshore substation marks a major milestone for Inch Cape and a proud moment for everyone involved. It’s fantastic to see the project making such strong progress and I’d like to thank our partners and all those who contributed to its delivery.”

Construction of the project’s onshore substation and landfall works in Cockenzie, East Lothian, are well advanced and the next key offshore activity will be the installation of the first of two export cables, scheduled for late summer this year. First power is expected in late-2026 and with commercial operation date in 2027.