ScottishPower Renewables and DONG Energy have today awarded contracts worth €115m for the transportation and installation of turbine foundations for the 389MW West of Duddon Sands offshore windfarm in the Irish Sea.
The contracts have been awarded to Boskalis Offshore, SMIT Marine Projects and Volker Construction International. Work on the foundations will commence in the first quarter of 2013 and will be completed by mid-2014.
West of Duddon Sands offshore windfarm is a 50-50 joint venture between ScottishPower Renewables and DONG Energy, which will comprise 108 turbines each with a 3.6 MW capacity.
As part of the transportation and installation contracts, the foundation components will be taken from Aalborg in Denmark to Belfast Harbour, which is a pivotal operational base for the construction of the windfarm. A £50m upgrade project is currently underway at Belfast Harbour to develop a new terminal for the assembly of offshore wind turbines.
Keith Anderson, CEO of ScottishPower Renewables and Head of Iberdrola’s Global Offshore wind division, said: “These contracts mark another important step forward in the West of Duddon Sands offshore project, and we are pleased with progress, which remains firmly on track.
“As well as helping to reduce carbon emissions and secure energy supplies, offshore wind projects also stimulate major investment and create skilled employment. West of Duddon Sands is a major development for the UK that will support jobs locally and in the wider industry, as well as continuing to improve the supply chain which will benefit future projects.”
Benj Sykes Director of Operations, DONG Energy Wind Power UK said: “This is another important step along the way for the construction of this project where work has already started onshore. The West of Duddon Sands project will be DONG Energy’s ninth offshore wind farm in the UK - another wind farm in the region and the development of Belfast harbour will further strengthen the position of the Irish Sea as one of the UK’s and Europe's most important offshore wind power hubs.”
Total investment at the West of Duddon Sands offshore windfarm will be in the region of £1.6bn, and marks the start of a major investment programme in offshore wind by Iberdrola and ScottishPower Renewables. When completed in 2014, the project will be one of the largest offshore windfarms in the world.
The West of Duddon Sands project will be located 14km southwest of the Barrow-in-Furness coastline. At full capacity, the windfarm will be able to provide power for approximately 300,000 homes.
Media Information: Paul Ferguson, 0141 614 4535 / 07702 665 924