Substation Jacket for Dudgeon OWF in Place

The offshore substation jacket for the Dudgeon offshore wind farm has been installed at the site, offshore UK.

The four-legged jacket was designed and built by Sembmarine SLP in Lowestoft .

This is the first time suction bucket technology had been used on an offshore substation in UK waters, the company said.

SPT Offshore performed the installation, pumping the buckets 6 meters into the seabed 32 kilometers off Cromer, Norfolk.

Brett Hurrell, Sembmarine SLP offshore manager, said: “The jacket inclination is really worthy of note. The SPT operators deserve credit for their work to get it almost perfect. The operators of the four pumps adjusted the pressure after it had sunk under its own weight.

“The design and fabrication of the jacket was crucial too. It was a great combined job by Sembmarine SLP C, who designed the jacket, SLP Lowestoft, who made it and SPT, who made the suction buckets and installed the jacket.”

The installation operation was completed over two days, the company noted.

Matthew Wooltorton, Sembmarine SLP project manager for the offshore substation, said: “There’s always a sense of satisfaction to see one of our projects successfully come to its end. Our focus is now on completing the topside for its planned sail away in August.”

While the topside is under completion at the Lowestoft yard, VBMS will be mobilizing daily pulling in the turbine and export cables to coil on the jacket’s cable deck.

The offshore substation will house all systems needed for the handling and export of power from the 402 MW wind farm to the onshore substation at Necton, Norfolk and connects to Dudgeon’s 67 turbines by 12 inter-array cables.

Two export cables will take the power to Necton. The wind farm will generate enough electricity to power 410,000 homes.