Race Bank construction info4 May 2021 10:51
Construction of the £1.5bn ($2.5bn) wind farm began in March 2015, with commercial operations expected to start in 2017.
The offshore wind project is located approximately 17m (27.3km) from Blakeney Point on the North Norfolk Coast, and approximately 17.4m from the Lincolnshire coast at Chapel St Leonards. It is approximately 32km off the British eastern coast and extends over approximately 75km².
The windfarm consists of 91 Siemens wind turbines of 6MW each. Each turbine has a rotor diameter of 154m and is erected on monopile foundations in water depths ranging between 6m and 26m.
A2SEA’s purpose-built offshore installation vessel Sea Challenger was used for the installation of the turbines.
Offshore and onshore substations at Race Bank
The windfarm comprises of three offshore substations and an onshore substation, which was completed in 2016.
Alstom Grid’s DS Agile technology, a next-generation digital control system for smart substations was installed at the project. The DS Agile system includes advanced situational awareness features and a MiCOM P40 Agile protection system, which enables it to protect, monitor and control the assets.
The onshore substation is located adjacent to the Walpole Substation and consists of all the equipment to transmit power from the offshore substation to the national grid network.
Transmission of electricity generated by Race Bank
The electricity generated by the windfarm is being delivered to the onshore substation using export cables. The cables have a landfall east of the Nene River and approximately 3.7m (5.95km) north-north-east of Sutton Bridge.
Cables are buried onshore for 6.8m (11km) from the landfall point to a new substation extension located directly adjacent to the existing substation at Walpole, Norfolk.
Contractors involved with the offshore wind project
“NKT Cables was contracted for the supply of more than 150km of 220kV high-voltage export cable systems.”
Siemens Wind Power was awarded the contract for the supply, erection, and servicing of the wind turbines.
JDR, a company based in the UK, supplied the subsea power cables. Its contractual scope includes the design and manufacture of 110km of 36kV inter-array cables, and accessories including hang-offs, electrical T-connectors, and cable cleats.
J Murphy and Sons was awarded a £21.8m ($34m approximately) contract for the construction of the onshore substation. WSP provided the civil design support for the same.
Jan De Nul Group was engaged for installation of subsea export cables from the landfall to two offshore platforms, and that of the interlink between the offshore substations.
The contract for the supply of 91 transition pieces for the windfarm was awarded to Bilfinger Mars Offshore (BMO). DONG Energy engaged Atkins to provide detailed substation design for the project.
NKT Cables was contracted for the supply of more than 150km of 220kV high-voltage export cable systems. The submarine cables w
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