More than 328 kilometers of 66kV inter-array cables have been installed for the 1,200MW Dogger Bank A offshore wind farm. The installation was carried out by DEME Offshore's Viking Neptun, with burial operations completed by the Living Stone vessel.
This achievement signifies the completion of all inter-array cable installations for the first phase of the wind farm, which began generating power in October 2023. The network, comprising 95 cables of varying lengths up to 8.6 miles, connects the 95 Haliade-X 13MW turbines at Dogger Bank A to the offshore converter station. The electricity is then converted into direct current for transmission to the onshore converter station through an advanced HVDC system.
The installation followed a comprehensive preparation phase involving underwater surveys to ensure the cable laying corridor was free of obstacles. The inter-array cables were manufactured by Hellenic Cables under a contract with DEME Offshore, which also handles the manufacture and installation of cables for the Dogger Bank B and C phases. The first inter-array cable for Dogger Bank B is anticipated to be installed starting in autumn 2024.
Alan Evans, Marine Package Manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, stated, “This is another important part of our Dogger Bank A marine work complete, and is the result of a great collaboration between all parties involved. With 277 cables to be installed in total, it's by far the biggest inter-array cable installation programme undertaken to date in offshore wind. The safe and smooth completion of this phase is a huge credit to the entire team.”
Geert Linthout, Project Director at DEME Offshore, remarked, “The teams at Dogger Bank and DEME Offshore have collaborated closely to achieve this significant project milestone. Throughout the execution, DEME Offshore has successfully deployed both the Living Stone and the newly added cable installation vessel Viking Neptun, demonstrating outstanding performance. This has provided a solid and reliable basis for the upcoming Dogger Bank B phase and, subsequently, the Dogger Bank C phase. We are excited to continue our strong working relationship on Dogger Bank B and Dogger Bank C.”
