ScottishPower Renewables has begun installing the first section of subsea export cable at Bawdsey, Suffolk, as part of its £4 billion East Anglia 3 offshore wind project, the company said on Tuesday.
The cables will carry 1.4 gigawatts (GW) of electricity approximately 147 kilometres from the project’s offshore substation to the landfall site. From there, the power will be transmitted a further 37 kilometres to the converter station at Bramford near Ipswich, via ducting previously installed during the East Anglia 1 development.
“This is a major milestone in the delivery of East Anglia 3,” ScottishPower Renewables said in a statement.
The project is part of the East Anglia Hub and is being developed by ScottishPower, a subsidiary of Spain’s Iberdrola. The company described East Anglia 3 as “the largest wind farm in the Iberdrola group’s portfolio and one of the biggest offshore wind projects globally.”
Once fully operational, which is expected by the end of 2026, East Anglia 3 will generate enough renewable electricity to power over one million homes, the developer said.
The 320kV high-voltage direct current (HVDC) export cable system is being delivered by Danish cable manufacturer NKT, which is responsible for its design, manufacture and installation.
The East Anglia 3 project forms part of the UK’s broader efforts to expand offshore wind capacity as it transitions toward a low-carbon energy system.
