- High voltage equipment containers for the offshore substation platforms to be sailed out from Thurso fabrication yard
- Each container is specifically designed and fabricated to house high voltage transmission equipment, control protection equipment and provide emergency refuge
- Celebration event held at JGC yard, where they were fabricated, with representatives from Caithness Chamber of Commerce and Highlands and Islands Enterprise
The Moray East offshore windfarm project completed its first fabrication milestone as Thurso SME engineering firm, JGC Engineering and Technical Services, finalised work on the containers which will be fitted with either high voltage transmission equipment or electrical monitoring and control equipment for the three offshore substation platforms.
The milestone was celebrated by the project teams from Moray East, the project developer, Siemens, the lead contractor and JGC, the supply chain partner with representations from local business and enterprise groups, the Caithness Chamber of Commerce and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
JGC fabricated eight of 12 containers at its site in Thurso and have also supported Siemens with other offshore projects in the UK.
The containers’ total length, height and volume are larger than an Airbus A380 aircraft which highlights the impressive feat Siemens and JGC have completed together. They have been designed to house and protect the specialised high voltage equipment from Siemens which form a vital part of the project’s three offshore substation platforms. The three offshore substation platforms will transform the electrical output of the wind turbines from 66 kilovolts (kV) to the transmission voltage of 220 kV.
Stephen Sutherland, Company Director at JGC Engineering & Technical Services Ltd said:
“JGC were delighted to win the Moray East container fabrication and fit out from Siemens with whom we have now delivered several successful projects for the offshore wind sector over the last five years.
“Winning work in this sector with a major client is hugely important to JGC and the region we do business in, allowing us to re-invest in our facilities and our excellent workforce ensuring strong private business in the Highlands of Scotland.
“JGC employed around 60 people on the project including up to 10 apprentices giving them an opportunity to hone their skills in a new and developing sector whilst delivering what has been described by our client as an excellent quality product.”
From Thurso, the containers will make their way to Fabricom-Smulders in Belgium where the substation equipment will be installed inside. The containers will then be lifted onto the offshore substation platforms, where cabling and equipment will be added and finally, once commissioned, the three platforms will be sailed out to their locations in the Moray Firth in summer 2020.
Multi-million-pound contracts have also been awarded to firms in Scotland for civil construction work in the project and both Moray East and Siemens have been involved in school projects to encourage the next generation of scientists and engineers.
Sarah Graham, Transmission Infrastructure Package Manager for Moray East, said:
“The completion of these containers is the first major milestone in the construction of Moray East’s Offshore Transmission Infrastructure and has set a high standard for quality and safety that we will strive to build on as we move into the next stage of fabrication for the offshore substation platforms. We are really pleased to celebrate this milestone with Siemens and JGC as we move one step closer to completing Scotland’s largest offshore windfarm.”
In addition to the three offshore substation platforms, Siemens is responsible for constructing a new onshore substation at New Deer in Aberdeenshire to connect the Moray East project as well as the onshore export cables which will connect the offshore windfarm to the new substation.
Mark Pilling, Managing Director, EPC, Siemens Transmission and Distribution Ltd, said:
“The containers are the heart of the substation, providing the intelligence and safety equipment to run the windfarm effectively. This is the first of many milestones we will achieve on this project to provide low cost, low carbon electricity. We are delighted to have achieved this important milestone and to celebrate the event with those who have worked so hard to get everything ready on time.”
At 950MW, the Moray East development will be capable of providing enough electricity to power almost one million homes. In addition, it will save 1.4 million tonnes CO₂ equivalent annually, compared to gas generation.
Moray East Project Statistics
- Capacity: 950MW
- Location: UK, Moray Firth, closest point to shore, 22km from shore.
- Turbines: 100 V164 – 9.5MW
- Power for average requirements of ca. 950, 000 UK homes
- Moray East will generate sufficient electricity to save 1.4 million tonnes CO₂equivalent annually (assuming displacement of gas generation)
- Power will be generated at £57.50/MWhr, the lowest cost of any new renewable generation and two-thirds less than offshore windfarms in operation around the UK today (typically upward of £140/MWhr)
Moray East Project Ownership & Finance:
The 950MW wind farm is being developed by Moray Offshore Windfarm East Ltd (MOWEL), which is a joint venture company owned by Diamond Green Limited (33.4%), EDPR (33.3 %), ENGIE (23.3%) and CTG (10%).
The project financing agreements were signed on 28 November 2018 with a syndicate of commercial banks as well as EKF, Denmark’s Export Credit Agency (“EKF”) and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (“JBIC”). The financing is composed of both project finance, which includes a senior debt facility of £2.1 billion, along with other debt facilities of £0.5 billion, and an equity bridge loan facility to cover part of the equity needs. Financial close occurred on 6th of December 2018.
In September 2017, MOWEL was awarded a 15-year Contract for Difference (CfD) by the UK’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (“BEIS”) for the delivery of 950MW of offshore wind generation at £57.5/MWh (2012 tariff-based). The wind farm is expected to be operational by 2022.
Moray East Project Timeline:
2010 – project development commenced when development rights were won in the UK’s third round of offshore wind licencing. The Moray Firth Zone (Zone 1) was split into two, Moray East and Moray West. For technical reasons, Moray East was developed first
2014 – planning consent was awarded by the Scottish Government (offshore works) and Aberdeenshire Council (onshore works)
2017 – A 950MW Contract for Difference (CfD) was won in the UK Government’s second competitive CfD auction. The CfD provides a contract for electricity for 15 years at £57.50/MWhr
2018 – project announced signing of finance agreements and achieves financial close
2019 – 2022 – construction and commencement of operation
Siemens Gas and Power (GP) is a global pacesetter in energy, helping customers to meet the evolving demands of today’s industries and societies. GP comprises broad competencies across the entire energy value chain and offers a uniquely comprehensive portfolio for utilities, independent power producers, transmission system operators and the oil and gas industry. Products, solutions and services address the extraction, processing and the transport of oil and gas as well as power generation in central and distributed thermal power plants and power transmission in grids. With global headquarters in Houston in the U.S. and more than 64,000 employees in over 80 countries, Siemens Gas and Power has a presence across the globe and is a leading innovator for the energy systems of today and tomorrow, as it has been for more than 150 years.
About Siemens
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 170 years. The company is active around the globe, focusing on the areas of power generation and distribution, intelligent infrastructure for buildings and distributed energy systems, and automation and digitalization in the process and manufacturing industries. Through the separately managed company Siemens Mobility, a leading supplier of smart mobility solutions for rail and road transport, Siemens is shaping the world market for passenger and freight services. Due to its majority stakes in the publicly listed companies Siemens Healthineers AG and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Siemens is also a world-leading supplier of medical technology and digital healthcare services as well as environmentally friendly solutions for onshore and offshore wind power generation. In fiscal 2018, which ended on September 30, 2018, Siemens generated revenue of €83.0 billion and net income of €6.1 billion. At the end of September 2018, the company had around 379,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.
