The first of two 85-kilometre export cables for the Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm has been successfully installed off the east coast of Scotland, marking a major milestone in the project’s offshore construction phase, the developers said this week.
The 220-kilovolt, three-phase cable was laid in three 28-kilometre sections by Enshore Subsea using the CMOS Installer vessel, operating out of the Port of Blyth. Once operational, the cable will carry electricity from the 1.1-gigawatt offshore wind farm to the new onshore substation currently being built at Cockenzie in East Lothian.
Two offshore joints were completed using the North Sea Giant vessel, and the cable is due to be buried in the seabed in the coming weeks.
John Hill, project director for Inch Cape, said the milestone underscored the progress made this year. “We are delighted with the completion of this scope which is the critical link between the offshore and onshore substations, with great work by the Inch Cape team and our supply partners, including Orient Cable and Enshore Subsea,” Hill said. “This achievement is testament to the momentum Inch Cape has gathered since early summer, and to the team’s focus on the successful delivery of key milestones.”
Pierre Boyde, chief executive of Enshore Subsea, said the company was pleased with the collaboration. “The installation of the first export cable is an important step for the Inch Cape project,” Boyde said. “We appreciate the collaboration with our partners and remain focused on supporting the safe and efficient delivery of the work ahead.”
Manufactured by Ningbo Orient Wires & Cables, also known as Orient Cable, the 2,000mm² alternating current cable is one of the largest of its kind globally. The second 85-kilometre export cable is scheduled to be installed by Enshore Subsea in three sections during a subsequent campaign in 2026.
Jointly owned by ESB and Red Rock Renewables, the Inch Cape project is advancing through its offshore construction phase, with the offshore substation platform and first export cable now installed, and the first XXL monopiles delivered to the Port of Leith.
The next stages of construction in 2026 include installation of monopile and jacket foundations, the first of 72 Vestas 15-megawatt turbines, and completion of the onshore substation. The project is expected to deliver first power in late 2026 and enter full commercial operation in 2027.
Once fully operational, Inch Cape is projected to generate nearly 5 terawatt-hours of electricity annually — enough to power about half of Scotland’s homes, according to the developers.
