Multi-Million Pontoon Becomes Operational at Gwynt y Môr (UK)

A new £multi-million pontoon has become fully operationally at the Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm base at the Port of Mostyn in North Wales.

The 10-berth pontoon will greatly improve the offshore transfer of wind turbine engineers and technicians throughout the construction and operational lifetime of the wind farm.

Approximately 110 new long term skilled jobs are being created to staff the Gwynt y Môr base at Mostyn which is gradually becoming operational ahead of the wind farm’s completion later this year.

RWE Innogy UK’s Gwynt y Môr Project Director, Toby Edmonds, said: “Completing the pontoon has been an important step forward in the development of both the construction and operations facilities for Gwynt y Môr at the Port of Mostyn.

“We are delighted that the facility is up and running and is already delivering the anticipated improvements we expected to the efficiency of offshore works.

“Transfer times to Gwynt y Môr have reduced, allowing technicians and engineers more time to work on the turbines. In addition, the new pontoon is less tidally restricted, so access to and from the port is greatly enhanced.

“The new pontoon will play a vital role throughout the lifetime of the wind farm.”

The 10-berth pontoon was commissioned with power, water and re-fuelling locations built in. UK based civil engineering company, BAM Nuttall won the contract for its design and construction, with approximately 15 BAM Nuttall employees overseeing the build. Consent for the pontoon was granted by the Welsh Government last March and construction took place throughout the summer months.

 Paul O’Toole from BAM Nuttall said: “We were delighted to win this prestigious contract.

“The project at Mostyn demonstrates the commitment that BAM Nuttall has towards supporting construction in the renewable energy market.”

Gwynt y Môr is a €2billion offshore wind farm on schedule to become fully operational in 2014, when it will be capable of generating enough energy from renewable sources to power the equivalent of approximately 400,000 homes – around a third of the total number of homes in all of Wales.

The construction of Gwynt y Môr to date, has enabled the injection of over £350million into the UK supply chain, created and secured employment for over 2,500 people in the UK, and is expected to sustain over 110 jobs long term through a new multi-million pound operations and maintenance base, which will be built in North Wales.

At the same time, North Wales Communities have been consulted on how to most usefully invest over £19million in community funding over the wind farm’s working lifetime – a topic crucial to Welsh and UK government in the delivery of energy policy. This is in addition to the £690,000 Tourism Fund.

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RWE, February 6, 2014