Key Offshore Milestone Ensures Triton Knoll Remains on Track for 2021 Generation
24th June 2020
Critical component of the transmission infrastructure in place.
A key stage in the construction of Triton Knoll’s offshore electrical infrastructure has been completed, with the installation of the second offshore substation platform.
The installation of Offshore Substation Platform (OSP) East, the last of the project’s two OSPs, was safely and successful installed by Seaway Strashnov overnight on Monday 15 June, and marks a significant milestone in the project’s progress towards first power generation next year.
Together with OSP West, which was installed in April, the offshore substation will transmit low-carbon electricity generated from the project’s 90 wind-powered turbines, all the way to shore along the 50km long sub-sea export cables. The first phase of commissioning of OSP West is almost complete, and will be repeated on OSP East over the next few weeks.
Julian Garnsey Project Director for Triton Knoll and Innogy said: “This is an important step in ensuring we remain on track, ready for turbine installation and export of first power early next year.
“Amid the challenges of the current climate, the safe completion of these installations is a great achievement, and testament to the teams of contractors and project personnel who have helped make this happen.”
Triton Knoll consists of two 1,200 tonne offshore substation platforms, using the Siemens Energy Offshore Transformer Module© technology.
Mark Pilling, Managing Director, Transmission Solutions, Siemens Energy Ltd, said: “Installation of both OSPs is a significant milestone in this project. Now this has been completed we can begin commissioning work to get the wind farm ready to connect to the grid to provide the clean, green renewable power needed to reach net zero.”
Once fully operational, the two OSPs, East and West, will each receive electricity generated by the wind farm’s powerful 90 x MHI Vestas v164-9.5 MW turbines, before converting it for transmission to the landfall connection via two huge export cables. An initial 25km stretch of export cable has already been installed from the land fall north of Anderby Creek in Lincolnshire, establishing a connection between the onshore and offshore electrical infrastructure for the first time.
Once finished, Triton Knoll will become an important new renewable energy power source for the UK, capable of generating low carbon, sustainable energy equivalent to the demands of over 800,000 homes, and the needs of over 2 million UK residents. It will make a significant contribution to the decarbonsation of the UK’s future energy supply.
